Why Elon Musk wants US to do away with manned fighter jets
FirstpostCiting the growing potential of autonomous drones, Elon Musk has criticised the Pentagon’s $1.8 trillion F-35 programme, calling it outdated. File Image/Reuters Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has called for a shift away from manned fighter jets in favour of autonomous drones. Sharing a video of synchronised drone swarms flying in complex formations, Musk commented: “Meanwhile, some idiots are still building manned fighter jets like the F-35. Meanwhile, some idiots are still building manned fighter jets like the F-35 🗑️ 🫠 pic.twitter.com/4JX27qcxz1 — Elon Musk November 24, 2024 His disdain for traditional aircraft was further highlighted when he responded to a user’s comment, “Drones are the new level of warfare,” with a “100” emoji. Unmanned systems are already used extensively for surveillance and airstrikes, and the Pentagon’s “Replicator Initiative” aims to deploy “thousands of autonomous systems across multiple warfighting domains.” However, experts argue that drones cannot completely replace manned fighter jets.
History of this topic
Elon Musk calls on US to replace Trump’s favorite fighter jet with drones, says F-35 'will just get pilots killed'
Hindustan Times
Elon Musk declares manned fighter jets like F-35 ‘obsolete’, calls for shift to drones in modern warfare
Live Mint
Elon Musk says the 'fighter jet era has passed' and the US needs autonomous war drones to compete
Daily MailDiscover Related