Elon Musk calls Pentagon's F-35 stealth fighter obsolete
- The U.S. Government Accountability Office reported significant cost increases for the F-35 stealth fighter program.
- Elon Musk labeled the F-35 as 'obsolete,' emphasizing the changing nature of aerial warfare with drones.
- The Pentagon's ongoing investment in the F-35 raises concerns about efficiency and military spending oversight.
In May 2023, the U.S. Government Accountability Office released a report indicating significant cost overruns for the Pentagon's F-35 program, with projected costs exceeding 40% of initial estimates despite plans to reduce usage. In a statement, Tesla CEO Elon Musk described the F-35 as 'obsolete,' asserting that it is a complex system that fails to excel in any single area and highlights the risks associated with manned aircraft in an era dominated by drones. To date, the Pentagon operates about 630 F-35s and plans to acquire an additional 1,800, with the overall lifetime cost expected to reach over $2 trillion. The defense secretary's office withheld comments on Musk's critique, maintaining that his perspective as a private citizen is not subject to public discourse by government officials. Further complicating matters, the F-35 program has repeatedly fallen short of its performance targets, which include operational reliability and mission readiness, prompting ongoing concerns about the efficiency of military spending. This situation is emblematic of broader issues regarding Pentagon oversight and accountability, as suggested by the failure of the agency to pass its audit for the seventh consecutive time. The new Department of Government Efficiency, led by both Musk and fellow executive Vivek Ramaswamy, aims to address such bureaucratic inefficiencies and bring greater scrutiny to military expenditures.