Musk warns US ‘will lose the next war very badly’

2025-02-10 04:55:11

(MENAFN) Elon Musk has issued a stark warning about the United States’ defense capabilities, stating that the country is at risk of suffering a major defeat in its next war unless it urgently overhauls its outdated weapons programs. Musk, who heads SpaceX, Tesla, and owns X, has been appointed as a “special government employee” to lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under President Donald trump and is now an influential adviser in the administration.

Musk criticized the current U.S. military strategy, which he claims focuses on producing a small number of high-cost weapons designed to fight conflicts of the past. He emphasized that unless dramatic changes are made to U.S. defense policies and technologies, America will face significant losses in future wars. Musk has long been outspoken about inefficiencies within the defense sector, asserting that outdated strategies and excessive bureaucracy undermine national security.

Through DOGE, Musk's department has worked to streamline government operations, including in defense. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has recommended reforms to the Pentagon's contracting system to make it faster and more responsive to emerging threats, particularly from countries like China and Iran. Defense contractor L3Harris Technologies has also provided suggestions to improve defense acquisition processes.

Musk has been particularly critical of specific defense programs, notably the F-35 fighter jet, which he labeled a "sh*t design." He has advocated for a shift toward unmanned systems, such as drones, which he believes are more effective and cost-efficient in modern warfare. Musk has underscored the growing importance of drones and artificial intelligence in warfare, pointing to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine as an example. He warned that nations are overly prepared to fight past wars, rather than adapting to future conflicts, which will likely be dominated by drones and AI-driven strategies.

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