American fighter jets can be ‘jailbroken’ like an iPhone, official says

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According to Dutch Defense Secretary Gijs Tuinman, the F-35 fighter jet could potentially be hacked, similar to how an iPhone can be ‘jailbroken,’ though he admits this is probably very difficult to do.

For years, people have been ‘jailbreaking’ devices like iPhones, Xboxes, and PlayStations. This process lets users modify their devices to access content and features without paying, essentially making things free and downloadable.

However, modifying your device can be risky. It might void your warranty, and a failed update could even render your console unusable.

It appears this vulnerability isn’t limited to just one type of aircraft. Gijs Tuinman, the Netherlands’ defense secretary, suggests that even the Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jet is susceptible to being compromised as it currently stands.

F35 jet can be ‘jailbroken’ according to Dutch military

In an interview with the Boekestijn en De Wijk podcast, Tuinman explained that the fighter jet is a collaborative effort, with components manufactured in both the United States and Great Britain.

Even if the shared reliance on updates doesn’t always lead to them, Tuinman believes the F-35 is currently a superior fighter jet compared to other options.

Even if you’re determined to proceed with the upgrade, I’m about to say something I shouldn’t – it’s surprisingly easy to compromise the security of an F-35, much like jailbreaking an iPhone.

Dutch Defence Minister Gijs Tuinman suggested that F-35 fighter jets could potentially be made independent of US control. He even used the term “jailbreak” to describe the possibility. When questioned about whether Europe could make changes to the jets without needing permission from the United States, he indicated that the answer depends on whether the US would allow it, stating, “We’ll see whether the Americans will show…”

— Clash Report (@clashreport) February 15, 2026

According to The Register, aircraft technology expert Ken Munro believes it’s “highly unlikely” that details about hacking a fighter jet will become public, as the technical skill required is “simply too high” for most people.

I was shocked to hear that the US Army is actually using ChatGPT to help with important decisions! Apparently, Major General William ‘Hank’ Taylor, a really high-ranking officer, has been using it and even said he’s become “really close” to the AI. It’s not the first time we’ve heard about the military using tech from the outside, but this is pretty wild!

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2026-02-19 16:19