LoginWhy The US Army Is Preparing To Blow Up Two New Cybertrucks
- The U.S. Air Force is buying two Cybertrucks to use as live missile test targets.
- Officials say the Cybertruck must be tested as it’s unlike any other vehicle available.
- Military documents warn future enemies could weaponize it in active combat zones.
The U.S. Air Force wants to blow up a pair of Tesla Cybertrucks. And no, this isn’t some new attempt by Donald Trump to take a hit at Elon Musk where it hurts. The reason is more straightforward: the U.S. government believes it could one day face adversaries using Cybertrucks on the battlefield. Now, it’s preparing to find out just how effective its weapons are against what Musk claims is a truck built to “survive the apocalypse.”
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Recently, the Air Force Test Center (AFTC) laid out its plans to acquire 33 vehicles for testing. Those tests will happen at the White Sands Missile Range (WSMR) in New Mexico. As one might expect at such a place, the munitions on hand will be very serious. Interestingly, the AFTC doesn’t care what 31 of the 33 cars are, so long as two are Tesla Cybertrucks.
Why the Cybertruck?
That’s according to the document uncovered by The War Zone. In it, the center notes that the Cybertruck’s design, unpainted stainless steel exoskeleton, and 48-volt electrical system make it unlike anything else on the road.
These features could affect how the vehicle responds to missile impacts, which is exactly what the government wants to understand. What stands out, though, is that the military appears to be preparing for the possibility of actually facing Cybertrucks in combat.
The document specifically says “In the operating theatre it is likely the type of vehicles used by the enemy may transition to Tesla Cyber trucks [sic] as they have been found not to receive the normal extent of damage expected upon major impact.”
The document doesn’t spell out where the operating theatre is or who the enemy is. That said, it’s clear that the military isn’t the first to think of a militarized Cybertruck.
Not Just a Thought Experiment
A Chechen warlord got his hands on one last year and mounted a gun in the bed and talked about using it and others in the fight against Ukraine. Notably, other places around the world, such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, are all either set to get Cybertrucks in the near future or already have them. The message is clear: the Cybertruck is a genuine concern for the U.S. government if they find it on the battlefield. It’s preparing accordingly.
