Elon Musk Criticizes Manned Fighter Jets, Says Drones are the Future of Air Combat

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Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, appointed by US President-elect Donald Trump to help slash federal government spending, has voiced strong criticism of manned fighter jets, declaring that drones are the future of air combat. Musk, who leads SpaceX, Tesla, and X, posted on his social media platform, calling manned fighter jets "obsolete" and suggesting they only risk the lives of pilots. “Manned fighter jets are obsolete in the age of drones anyway. Will just get pilots killed,” Musk wrote, making particular mention of the F-35, a next-generation fighter jet developed by Lockheed Martin. The F-35, which entered service in 2015, is touted as the world’s most advanced fighter, featuring stealth capabilities and intelligence-gathering functions. Musk criticized the aircraft, calling it an expensive and overly complex design. “Meanwhile, some idiots are still building manned fighter jets like the F-35,” he wrote, sharing a video showing hundreds of drones flying in formation.

While the F-35 has faced criticism due to issues in its software and high operating costs, Musk’s remarks target what he sees as its fundamental flaws. “The F-35 design was broken at the requirements level, because it was required to be too many things to too many people,” Musk added, labeling the fighter jet as a "jack of all trades, master of none." Mauro Gilli, a researcher at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, also weighed in, emphasizing that the F-35's high cost is largely driven by its advanced software and electronics. He argued that a reusable drone would need similar technology to match the F-35’s capabilities, which could make drones an increasingly viable alternative for military air forces. Musk’s comments reflect growing interest in drone technology, which has seen rapid advancements in recent years, especially in military applications. He also highlighted that the F-35's presence on the global stage has prompted rival nations to develop their own advanced fighter jets and radar systems in response. Countries such as Germany, Poland, Finland, and Romania have all recently purchased the F-35, despite its high costs and technical issues.