Dutch State Secretary for Defence Gijs Tuinman sparked controversy by
claiming that the F-35 Lightning II's software could be "jailbroken" similar to an iPhone, allowing potential independent modifications without U.S. approval.
Speaking on BNR Nieuwsradio's "Boekestijn en de Wijk" podcast, Tuinman suggested this as a hypothetical option amid concerns over reliance on American support for updates, mission data files, and maintenance-especially given the Netherlands' dependence on the F-35 as its sole fighter jet following F-16 retirement.
