US software company Palantir has sought to reassure European allies that its artificial intelligence platform used by NATO cannot be remotely switched off by the company or the US government, amid growing concerns about Europe’s dependence on American military technology.
Louis Mosley, Palantir’s executive vice president for the UK and Europe, told Reuters on Wednesday that customers using the Maven Smart System retained full operational control of the software.
“What we have seen in the news over the past few days around Starlink is extremely concerning,” Mosley said in an interview in Brussels.
“But as concerns Palantir, I can provide categorical reassurance that where customers have bought our software, they are in full operational control of that software,” he added. “There are no kill switches. There’s no ability for Palantir or the US government to reach in and switch it off.”
His comments follow recent disruptions affecting Ukraine’s access to Starlink and Starshield, satellite services operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. The developments have intensified concerns among European governments about the risks of relying on US technology for critical military operations.
On October 13, Kyiv accused Washington of deliberately slowing Starshield, a military-grade satellite communications system used by Ukrainian forces at the front, as well as SpaceX’s civilian Starlink network.
Reports subsequently suggested that the White House had directed SpaceX to restrict Ukraine’s access to Starshield.
Musk responded on X that Starshield was owned and controlled by the US government, adding that decisions on restrictions were made by the US military and ultimately the president.
US President Donald Trump denied responsibility for the reported decision, saying he did not believe either he or Musk had ordered the restrictions and that he did not know whether anyone else had done so.
The uncertainty surrounding the episode has raised questions about how political decisions in Washington could affect allied countries that depend on American technology for military communications and other operations.
Palantir’s Maven system uses AI to process large volumes of battlefield information gathered from satellites, radar, drones and other sensors. The platform is designed to help military personnel analyse data and make operational decisions more quickly.
The company secured a €480 million NATO contract in 2025 to supply the system to the alliance. Maven has since been deployed at NATO’s Allied Command Operations headquarters at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, known as SHAPE. It achieved full technical operational capability in June 2026.
However, some European NATO members have declined to use the platform because of concerns about data security and technological independence.
Germany has questioned whether a private company should have access to sensitive national military information. German Vice Admiral Thomas Daum said earlier this year that allowing industry personnel access to German national datasets was “out of the question”.
France has pursued a separate approach, developing its own Arcadia system to build a national defence data ecosystem and maintain greater technological sovereignty.
Palantir’s assurances come as European governments weigh the operational advantages of advanced military AI against concerns over control, security and dependence on foreign suppliers.
