The US military is reportedly looking to buy vehicles to use as targets for munitions training, and its eyes are set on getting the high-end Tesla Cybertruck.
As part of the Standoff Precision Guided Munition (SOPGM) program, the US Air Force has listed a total of 33 vehicles being considered for target testing, among them are two Tesla Cybertrucks.
With bullet-resistant windows and side panels, Tesla’s electric truck would be used as strike points for air-launched munitions such as the Hellfire and Griffin missiles.
“The Cybertruck’s aggressively angular and futuristic design, paired with its unpainted stainless steel exoskeleton, sets it apart from competitors typically using painted steel or aluminum bodies,” the air force stated in public filings.
While the trucks don’t need to be in pristine condition, the air force requires that they at least be towable so they can be deployed across various test sites.
Preparing for the Worst
The air force said its request stems from concerns that Cybertrucks could be modified for use in warfare, especially after Elon Musk described them as “bulletproof” and built to “survive the apocalypse.”
Chechen Republic leader Ramzan Kadyrov has already shown off a custom model outfitted with machine guns on its trunk. Some US defense companies have also begun marketing armored Cybertrucks to law enforcement, the military, and private customers.
“In the operating theatre it is likely the type of vehicles used by the enemy may transition to Tesla Cybertrucks as they have been found not to receive the normal extent of damage expected upon major impact,” the air force noted.
To prepare for that possibility, the service plans to simulate realistic combat scenarios using the Tesla trucks, aiming to replicate real-world conditions “as closely as possible.”
