[News Terms] The Cutting-Edge Fighter Jet F-35 Criticized as "Useless" by Musk

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and nominee for the head of the U.S. Government Efficiency Department under Donald Trump's second administration, strongly criticized his country's stealth fighter F-35, saying "manned fighter jets are already outdated in the drone era." On the 25th (local time), Musk pointed out on his social media platform X, which he owns, that "the F-35 is an expensive and complex aircraft that can do a little bit of everything but excels at nothing." On the 24th, he also said, "There are still idiots making manned fighters like the F-35."

The 'F-35 Lightning II' is a 5th-generation stealth multirole fighter developed by Lockheed Martin, the largest defense contractor in the world. The F-35 fighter is divided into the Air Force A model, the Marine Corps B model, and the Navy C model. The F-35 is a more widely produced version of the F-22 Raptor, the best fighter currently in existence. Its greatest strength is stealth technology that neutralizes enemy radar. This means that in aerial combat, it can detect enemy fighters first and launch missiles first.

All A, B, and C models carry weapons inside internal bomb bays to maintain stealth performance, opening the bay doors each time they fire. When air superiority is established and stealth is unnecessary, bombs can also be mounted under the wings like a conventional fighter jet.

The A model is the most standard F-35. It is equipped with a fixed 4-barrel GAU-22/A cannon. Although the airframe is the lightest, when fully loaded with weapons and fuel, the weight reaches 35 tons. The B model is a short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) version based on the A model, with increased engine thrust and added targeting equipment. It can take off and land on short runways, but due to complex nozzle mechanisms, a lift fan added to the front of the airframe for takeoff and landing, and the shaft that drives it, the weight increases, reducing maneuverability, range, and even weapon payload by about 20%. The vertical takeoff and landing version can only carry two 1,000-pound bombs.

The C model is designed for carrier-based operations (CATOBAR) on aircraft carriers, with enlarged main wings, vertical tail fins, and horizontal tail fins, and reinforced lift devices. Because the wings are enlarged and equipment simplified to increase fuel capacity, it also features a longer range than the standard F-35A.