Elon Musk pans F-35 as 'obsolete master of none,' calls for refocusing on drone warfare

The F-35 is a key element of the IDF's air doctrine and was rumored to have been a key part of Israeli strikes on Iran in October.

By YUVAL BARNEA NOVEMBER 30, 2024 01:57

Elon Musk and an F-35 (illustrative). (photo credit: Canva, REUTERS/GONZALO FUENTES/POOL, Wikimedia Commons)

Elon Musk criticized the F-35, calling it "obsolete" and "master of none," in a post to X on Monday.

Musk will head the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an advisory commission that aims to reduce US government spending.

Meanwhile, some idiots are still building manned fighter jets like the F-35 ️ pic.twitter.com/4JX27qcxz1

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 24, 2024

The comments came after Musk, a prolific user and owner of X, said, "Meanwhile, some idiots are still building manned fighter jets like the F-35," accompanied by a video of a synchronized drone fleet, leading to a backlash from some users who countered with arguments towards its effectiveness.

Musk undeterred responded, attacking the F-35 for being "too many things to too many people," saying that this made it an expensive & complex jack of all trades, master of none," he added that "manned fighter jets are obsolete in the age of drones anyway. Will just get pilots killed."

The F-35 design was broken at the requirements level, because it was required to be too many things to too many people. This made it an expensive & complex jack of all trades, master of none. Success was never in the set of possible outcomes.And manned fighter jets are… https://t.co/t6EYLWNegI

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 25, 2024

Musk's comments could signal to the American arms industry that under the incoming administration, investment could be shifted from the F-35 specifically and fighter jets generally towards drones and unmanned aircraft. If so, this would be a major shift in American air doctrine that would impact American allies the world over.

How much does the F-35 cost?

The F-35 cost the US over $2 trillion over several decades, and current modernization programs are estimated to cost $16.5 billion, according to the US Governmental Accountability Office (USGAO).

The massive cost of maintaining the F-35, $84 billion over its lifetime, was a factor in reducing flight times in the US Air Force and Navy by 19% and 45%, respectively. This was done so that both branches could meet their affordability targets.

Indeed, Forbes described the F-35's development as an "endless series of delays, cost overruns, and technical glitches."

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A 2021 analysis in National Interest cited a recent US Air Force simulation in which the F-35 "slaughtered the competition, killing twenty aggressors for each F-35 downed." The analysis also cited numerous pilots who praised the F-35's capabilities, saying, "It’s a whole different world out there for us now."

The F-35 is a key element of the IDF's air doctrine and was rumored to have been used during Israeli strikes on Iran in October. The jet's stealth abilities are believed to have been key in the series of strikes that targeted military targets across several strategic locations in Iran.

Whether Elon Musk's views will impact the F-35 remains to be seen, as the power and scope of DOGE are unclear.