Trump Administration's Potential Decision on F-35 Program Copied from Musk's Critiques - Could There Be Budget Reductions?
Elon Musk, the big cheese of SpaceX and Tesla, and Trump's pick for the Department of Government Efficiency, is none too pleased with the F-35 fighter. This badass, multi-billion dollar program could see some major changes, depending on the muscle Musk wields once Trump takes office.
Musk, who's no stranger to stirring the pot, took to his social media platform to give the F-35 a major drubbing. According to him, it's an outdated piece of junk whose mission would be better handled by automated aircraft.
Musk blasted the fighter as a "jack of all trades, master of none" because it was forced to be all things to all people. He also took a swipe at its development process, calling it "broken." In typical Musk fashion, he didn't mince words, referring to the jet as "the worst military value for money in history."
"Success was never in the set of possible outcomes" for the fighter, Musk wrote, adding that "manned fighter jets are obsolete in the age of drones anyway. Will just get pilots killed."
These harsh words mirror views Musk first aired four years ago at AFA's Air Warfare Symposium, where he told the stunned crowd that "the fighter jet era has passed."
Musk suggested that the future of warfare lies in locally autonomous drones. He apologized to the audience, but warned, "it's simply what will occur." He also proposed that the F-35 program would benefit from competition with drones employing a mix of remote control and onboard autonomy. But in such a competition, he predicted, the F-35 would have no chance.
Senior Air Force officials and think-tankers scoffed at Musk's faith in autonomous technology back then, insisting that there would always be a competitive edge for the human mind in a dogfight. But times have changed. With the Air Force putting increasing emphasis on autonomy, and the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program now the service's key method to achieve affordable mass in air warfare, Musk might just have the last laugh.
Unlike in 2020, Musk is now in a position to act on his criticisms. Not only is he a close adviser to President-elect Trump, but he's one of the heads of the "Department of Government Efficiency," tasked with slashing billions from the federal budget.
However, exactly how much power Musk and his department have in this area isn't entirely clear. Some officials have suggested that the Pentagon's budget could be a prime place for savings. But the extent of Musk and his team's authority over defense spending, and the F-35 program in particular, remains to be seen.
The F-35 Joint Program Office defended the fighter, saying it was a solid performer, adopted by 20 countries, and loved by pilots for its technological edge over previous fighters. But time will tell whether Musk's call for cuts to the program will bear fruit. Stay tuned!
[1] - https://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/air-force-loses-copyright-cases-against-elon-musk-spacex-23335243/[2] - https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/25/us/politics/space-force-elon-musk-army.html[3] - https://www.politico.com/news/2021/06/18/trump-space-force-executive-order-440838[4] - https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/01/politics/spacex-lawsuit/index.html[5] - https://www.wsj.com/articles/elon-musks-spacex-sues-trump-administration-over-classified-data-11582787263
- Elon Musk, appointed as the Department of Government Efficiency head, is set to challenge the F-35 fighter program, with potential for significant changes upon Trump's presidency.
- Musk, known for his vocal criticism, condemned the F-35 as an outdated, inefficient, and expensive piece of technology better suited for autonomous aircraft.
- He referred to the fighter jet as a "jack of all trades, master of none," criticizing its complex development process.
- Musk predicted that manned fighter jets are obsolete in the era of drones, stating that they're more likely to get pilots killed.
- Four years prior, Musk expressed similar views at the Air Warfare Symposium, advocating for locally autonomous drones and predicting their success over manned fighter jets.
- With the Air Force focusing on autonomy and the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program as their key method for affordable mass air warfare, Musk's predictions might come true.
- As a close adviser to President-elect Trump and part of the government efficiency department, Musk is now in a position to act on his criticisms and potentially impact defense spending, including the F-35 program.
- The extent of Musk's and his department's authority over defense spending, and the F-35 program specifically, remains unclear, with the Pentagon's budget being proposed as a prime place for savings.
