this post was submitted on 13 Mar 2025
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Summary

Portugal has abandoned plans to buy F-35 fighter jets due to concerns over the Trump administration’s NATO stance and potential U.S. restrictions on foreign-operated aircraft.

Defense Minister Nuno Melo cited unpredictability in U.S. policy as a key factor, despite earlier Air Force plans to replace aging F-16s with F-35s.

Portugal now considers European alternatives like the Rafale, Gripen, or Eurofighter.

The decision reflects growing European unease over U.S. defense commitments, with other nations likely to reconsider American-made military equipment.

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[–] [email protected] 48 points 3 days ago

Pissing off the military industrial complex should be fun lol.

[–] [email protected] 38 points 3 days ago (2 children)

As we explained in detail in a previous article about the “kill switch” myth, according to which the U.S. government has the ability to remotely disable or limit the operational capabilities of foreign-operated F-35 fighter jets, international F-35 operators “are not allowed to conduct independent test operations outside of the Continental United States (CONUS) based on U.S. policy.

So, the only thing stopping this “myth” from becoming reality is a set of rules, not a physical obstacle or technical limitation. To me, that seems like a shallow reason to dismiss something as a myth.

We’ve already seen how much Trump respects the law, and how Elon is eager to dismantle/fire any regulatory agency/individual who is responsible for enforcement of inconvenient regulations.

The author of this article is alarmingly naive. Portugal is making a wise decision.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 3 days ago (1 children)

And even if there's no kill switch, operating and maintaining the F-35 depends on expertise and supplies from the US.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 days ago

Yes. It’s just too easy to hobble the plane.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

So, the only thing stopping this “myth” from becoming reality is a set of rules, not a physical obstacle or technical limitation.

No, I think you've got it backwards.

There's no technical or electronic or mechanical kill switch. The method of limiting the use of the aircraft is entirely contractual agreements between the nations, telling the partners that they're not allowed to modify or test the aircraft without U.S. approval.

In other words, the kill switch itself is nothing but a set of rules, not a physical obstacle or technical limitation.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Uh, reread the bit you quoted. We’re saying the same thing.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

We’re saying the same thing.

I read your comment to say "the only thing stopping the kill switch is rules," when I'm pointing out that "the only thing constituting a kill switch is rules," and those are two distinct ideas that have different implications.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago

OOOOOH. I’m sorry. I misunderstood. Thanks for explaining!

[–] [email protected] 24 points 3 days ago

Good. The US can no longer be trusted to supply equipment to NATO countries.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Canada needs to do the same.

[–] JohnnyCanuck 2 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Or we need to buy them and jailbreak them.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 3 days ago

Wish Australia would follow suit with their submarine orders. If only they hadn't just made an $800m instalment...

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 days ago
[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Lol the Portuguese government just fell, we can’t really say much about other countries political stability

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

At least you guys have coalitions. The US parliament can never agree on anything, and the agencies shut down like every other year because of political shenanigans