Elon Musk Criticizes Manned Fighters, Cites Inefficiency

Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO and co-lead of the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), recently expressed his desire to do away with manned fighter jets. He referenced the ridiculously high spending on the F-35 program, pointing towards AI-driven solutions for the future of aerial warfare.

Musk’s main criticism was directed at the military’s F-35 stealth fighter. The program, guided by Lockheed Martin, has faced cost overruns, delays, and continuous technical concerns. It has tallied up an expected cost of $1.8 trillion for development, production, operation, and maintenance through 2088.

Even with the high spending, the F-35 was found to be far behind its marks on reliability and availability. Hundreds are in service across the US and allied forces, with plans for the US military to gain up to 2,400 more to upgrade its aging fighter fleet.

Lockheed Martin continues to defend the stealth fighter, calling it “the most advanced, survivable, and connected fighter aircraft in the world, a vital deterrent and the cornerstone of joint all-domain operations.”

Elon Musk would disagree. Following his recent appointment as DOGE co-lead, Musk has shared criticism of the government’s fighter jet spending. He posted a video of drone formations on his social media platform, X, stating: “Meanwhile, some idiots are still building manned fighter jets like the F-35.”

His aversion to traditional, manned aircraft does not come as a surprise. Musk has been a continuous advocate for autonomous and AI-powered systems, especially when it comes to the future of military operations. In February 2020, at the Air Warfare Symposium, Musk even flat out said that “the fighter jet era has passed.”

Though several drones, like the famous MQ-9 Reaper, already play a large role in the US military, it is unlikely that the nation will move away from manned fighters anytime soon. The US primarily uses unmanned aircraft for surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

“Modern fighter jets fill irreplaceable roles,” expressed Richard Aboulafia, managing director at AeroDynamic Advisory. “Drones can’t intercept enemy bombers or launch from thousands of miles away to support naval operations or other strategic objectives.”

FMI: www.lockheedmartin.com