Palantir Tells NATO There Is No Kill Switch in Maven After Ukraine's Starshield Cut
After Ukraine lost Starshield service without warning, Palantir says neither it nor Washington can switch off the Maven AI system running at NATO's top military headquarters.
After Ukraine lost Starshield service without warning, Palantir says neither it nor Washington can switch off the Maven AI system running at NATO's top military headquarters.
Neither Palantir nor the U.S. government can switch off the Maven Smart System used by NATO's military headquarters and several European armed forces, Louis Mosley told Reuters in Brussels on Wednesday. Mosley, Palantir's executive vice president for the U.K. and Europe, spoke after Ukraine's military satellite service was throttled.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Palantir say about a kill switch?
Louis Mosley, Palantir's executive vice president for the U.K. and Europe, told Reuters there are no kill switches in the Maven Smart System and that neither Palantir nor the U.S. government can switch it off.
Why is Palantir saying this now?
Ukraine reported that its Starshield satellite service was restricted so terminals stopped working on fast-moving platforms, hampering interceptor-drone work. The episode raised European concern about relying on U.S. defense technology, per Reuters.
Who uses Maven in Europe?
NATO bought Maven for Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in 2025 and declared full technical operational capability in June. Several European armed forces also use it, according to Reuters.
Which countries have declined Maven?
Germany and France have not adopted it for their own forces. Germany's cyber command chief ruled out a purchase in April, and France built its own system, Arcadia, Euronews reported.
Does Palantir staff run Maven for customers?
Mosley said that is entirely the customer's decision, and any Palantir employees involved would be citizens of that country with the required security clearances.
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"There are no kill switches," he said. Customers who buy the software are "in full operational control" of it, he added, and he called the Starlink news "extremely concerning."
Maven fuses data from satellites, radars and other sensors to speed command decisions. NATO bought it for Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in 2025 and declared "full technical operational capability" in June.
The trigger was Starshield, the military-grade service that runs on SpaceX's Starlink constellation. Ukraine reported that restrictions left terminals dead on fast-moving platforms, hampering interceptor-drone work against Russian attacks. Forces got no warning and several missions were disrupted, presidential adviser Serhii Beskrestnov wrote. Ukrainian and European officials suspected a political motive, since the cut followed President Donald Trump's demand that Kyiv stop striking Russian oil refineries. Washington, Kyiv and Elon Musk have given conflicting accounts.
Germany and France have kept Maven off their own forces. In April, Vice Adm. Thomas Daum, who heads Germany's cyber command, ruled out a purchase over private-company access to national military data. France built its own system, Arcadia, Euronews noted.
Mosley said staffing is the customer's call. Any Palantir employees on a deployment would be citizens of that country with the required clearances, he said, and many customers run the software without the company.
In a separate Bloomberg interview the same day, Mosley said "Europe is going to have to accept some dependency" on American technology firms.
Maven already runs at NATO's top military headquarters. Berlin and Paris still keep it off their national networks, a week after Ukraine's Starshield terminals went dark on fast-moving platforms without warning.
Marcus Schuler
Marcus Schuler edits BattlePolicy, a daily defense-technology brief connecting the companies and capabilities behind modern war to the contest among Europe, the US, Russia, and China.