Elon Musk Critiques F-35 as Outdated and Pushes for Drone Dominance in New Government Role

Elon Musk Criticizes F-35 Fighter Jet

Jakarta – Elon Musk has been appointed by Donald Trump to lead a new department called the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This department aims to reduce government spending. Musk, known for his roles at Tesla and SpaceX, has harshly criticized the F-35 stealth fighter jet.

Despite being labeled the most advanced fighter in the world, the F-35 is expensive and often malfunctions. Musk described it as outdated and inefficient compared to drones. On X, he said, “While some idiots are still making manned fighter jets like the F-35,” and shared a video of a Chinese drone in action.

Musk leads DOGE alongside Vivek Ramaswamy, with a goal to cut federal spending by $2 trillion, targeting the Pentagon for efficiency improvements. The F-35 program, created by Lockheed Martin, has faced criticism due to its staggering $2 trillion cost, which many see as excessive.

Musk noted that the F-35’s design is flawed. He stated, “The F-35 design is broken because it requires too many aspects. This makes it expensive and capable of many tasks, but not excellent at any. The outcome has not been successful.”

He argued that manned fighter jets are outdated in the drone age, stating, “Manned jets endanger our pilots. The F-35 is a failed platform. It is time to fully shift to drones.” Musk believes drones, whether autonomous or remote-controlled, are more precise and reduce risks for pilots.

However, there are still supporters of the F-35, who believe it is effective in actual combat. The Pentagon stated, “We currently have combat jets in operation, and their performance is outstanding against threats. Pilots express that this is the jet they want in wartime.” Lockheed Martin also maintains that the F-35 is the most advanced fighter jet globally.