A widespread concern is what would happen to Dutch weapon systems if the Americans were to withdraw completely as an ally. For example, Dutch F-35 aircraft are dependent on American software updates. Yet, Tuinman isn’t particularly worried about this.
“The F-35 is truly a shared product. The British make the Rolls-Royce engines, and the Americans simply need them too.” And even if this mutual dependency doesn’t result in software updates, the F-35, in its current state, is still a better aircraft than other types of fighters.
If you still want to upgrade despite everything, I’m going to say something I should never say, but I will anyway: you can jailbreak an F-35 just like an iPhone. (Crack it with your own software, ed.)
Im not misunderstanding at all, but do you really think governments make multi-billion dollar purchaces without having technical experts go over things with a fine tooth comb. Again if only one customer nation, of which there are dozens, found something like this or if it was ever used, it would wipe out the entire export market for US high tech weapons, why would they do that when they have effective soft power ways of achiving the same thing?