this post was submitted on 08 Aug 2025
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[–] 6stringringer@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 hour ago

This whole idea stinks. I’m sure there are some higher ranked “Thinkers” involved that can see right through the short sightedness of this sensational horse shit.

[–] Sam_Bass@lemmy.world 1 points 1 hour ago

Best thing for them to do

[–] kreskin@lemmy.world 20 points 7 hours ago

ah, theres the excuse to buy all musks useless stock on the taxpayer dime. I'm not sure which is worse, buying ovepriced junk to blow up when plenty of ameircan cars could make just as big an explosion at 1/5th the cost, or using that money to buy bombs we give away to fascists.

[–] OutlierBlue@lemmy.ca 101 points 15 hours ago (3 children)

The Air Force specifically requested Cybertrucks due to concerns that adversaries might use them on the battlefield, citing their reported resistance to normal damage.

They're damaged by RAIN.

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 12 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago)

Imagine what bullets and rockets would do to 'em!

Also: They could just deploy a fire truck to combat the enemy cybertrucks.

[–] Donjuanme@lemmy.world 11 points 10 hours ago

They're planning to replace the hillux with the garbage can? Get real government bribed zombies

[–] Sludgehammer@lemmy.world 17 points 13 hours ago (1 children)
[–] Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca 4 points 2 hours ago

Don't forget wind, and therefore speed

[–] baconmonsta@piefed.social 128 points 16 hours ago (2 children)

They could've included in the title the amount of cybertrucks (2). Smells like clickbait

[–] pupbiru@aussie.zone 2 points 50 minutes ago* (last edited 48 minutes ago)
  • The US Air Force Test Center is looking to acquire two Tesla Cybertrucks to use as targets for precision-guided munitions. 

  • These Cybertrucks are part of a larger order for 33 target vehicles intended for live missile fire testing at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

the “article” is 4 bullet points, and this is 2 of them

and the “in full” says this right at the top:

The service was looking to buy two Cybertrucks to use as targets for precision-guided munitions, citing concerns that enemies may soon start to use them on the battlefield, according to federal contracting documents shared online. 

The Cybertrucks - made by Elon Musk’s Tesla - are among 33 target vehicles that the Air Force Test Center is ordering for “live missile fire testing” at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

[–] Tarquinn2049@lemmy.world 26 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago)

Yeah, considering the image already shows 7 of them...

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 101 points 16 hours ago (4 children)

The Air Force specifically requested Cybertrucks due to concerns that adversaries might use them on the battlefield, citing their reported resistance to normal damage.

Lol

The contract stipulates that the Cybertrucks must be towable, non-functional, and have all fluids drained before delivery.

So...

Just average Cybertrucks?

Also, I sure as fuck hope they know to remove batteries from EVs too

[–] kreskin@lemmy.world 3 points 2 hours ago

I'm sure the military will do their usual job of being very concerned about the environment and minimizing pollution.

/s

[–] jonne 32 points 14 hours ago (3 children)

Lol, because insurgents will prefer a truck that needs to be charged out in the open for hours over one that can be filled using jerrycans.

Electric vehicles are great, but I doubt the Tesla supercharger network extends to wherever the air force expects to be bombing people next.

[–] FelixCress@lemmy.world 24 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

wherever the air force expects to be bombing people next.

California?

[–] Donjuanme@lemmy.world 5 points 10 hours ago

Fuck.

I wonder if they're working on targeting that'll avoid those stupid things.

[–] AbidanYre@lemmy.world 19 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

How many Hiluxes do you think insurgents could buy for the price of one Cybertruck?

[–] HikingVet@lemmy.ca 8 points 14 hours ago
[–] SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 2 points 14 hours ago (1 children)
[–] Nurse_Robot@lemmy.world 6 points 14 hours ago

I hardly know her!

[–] Rolder@reddthat.com 14 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

I watched a gun youtuber shoot one up for science. As one would expect for a consumer vehicle, any and all military calibers like 5.56 passed through it like hot butter.

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 11 points 12 hours ago (3 children)

military calibers like 5.56 passed through it like hot butter

It did....

But 5.56 is dogshit at penetration. Like, a normal car does pretty well against it, but the cyber truck is just that bad against it.

It has less penetration than handgun calibers, and one of the reasons it's recommended for home defense is an interior wall that's basically just two sheets of drywall could stop it.

There's a reasons gangstas use AKs and not ARs...

[–] BussyCat@lemmy.world 2 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Why would anyone use a 5.56 for home defense they seem significantly worse at clearing rooms than a handgun especially considering it is incredibly unlikely a home invader would ever have body armour on.

Also obviously this is not the best source in the world but it shows 5.56 going through 9 1/2 walls which is again atrocious for home defense

“Though the 5.56 bullets showed the most deformation, they were also terribly penetrative (19 panels, or nine walls) and, beyond the first two or three panels, created relatively large holes as they tumbled along their paths.”

https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/blog/wall-to-wall-testing-penetration-of-home-defense-ammo

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 2 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Why would anyone

People do, for the reasons I said, and others. I don't agree with it, but it's a thing.

shows 5.56 going through 9 1/2 walls

Because your source says:

each separated by 3.5 inches

That's not going thru 9 1/2 walls, that's tumbling like 2 feet after initial contact.

Like, that's not reflected well in your source, it's got magtech 10mm (kind of the "hot" production load) barely beating out basic bitch 9mm...

And 357 less than the 9mm?

There are very obvious flaws with whatever that guy was doing

[–] BussyCat@lemmy.world 1 points 1 hour ago

The only reason you listed was its lack of penetration but it seems that it does still over penetrate and the effect of the longer firearm is a major flaw for home defense.

so if you wanted an actual gun that didn’t over penetrate a handgun with frangible ammo is the much more logical weapon, is it not?

Compared to drywall the effect of air resistance is negligible so the spacing on the dry wall sheets is essentially irrelevant.

[–] Rolder@reddthat.com 11 points 12 hours ago

Then that tells me the cybertruck is even more dogshit at stopping bullets than I thought it was! 🤣

[–] Asmodeus_Krang 6 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Not all 5.56 bullets are the same. I've got 75 grain bonded core that'll penetrate walls just fine and M855A1 if more penetration is needed. Shit, even run of the mill M193 will defeat level 4 plates out of a 20" barrel.

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world -3 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

I’ve got 75 grain bonded core

If you just increase the mass by 20% shove a solid dense core in then it does better!

/s

Shit, even run of the mill M193 will defeat level 4 plates out of a 20" barrel.

Wildy, just wildly untrue...

To be certied level 3, you need to stop a m193

Like by the very definition of level IV, it can stop m193

Who is telling you this stuff and why were you believing them?

This isn't secret or even hard to obtain information

[–] Asmodeus_Krang 1 points 11 hours ago

Lol. Okay 👌

[–] 30p87@feddit.org 9 points 16 hours ago

I hope they don't.

[–] OkBananas@lemmy.world 38 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

So the US government is helping Tesla by buying inventory it can’t sell… sounds about right for this fiasco of an administration.

[–] halcyoncmdr@lemmy.world 40 points 16 hours ago

They're buying 2 of them. Not exactly bailing anything out.

[–] atzanteol@sh.itjust.works 26 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

This is just the government's way of giving money to Elon while also advertising for his wankpanzer.

[–] IphtashuFitz@lemmy.world 17 points 15 hours ago (2 children)

FTA:

  • The US Air Force Test Center is looking to acquire two Tesla Cybertrucks to use as targets for precision-guided munitions.

Two CyberTrucks isn’t a lot of money.

Also:

  • The contract stipulates that the Cybertrucks must be towable, non-functional, and have all fluids drained before delivery.

No fluids means no brake fluid, no transmission fluid, etc. So these things won’t even be drivable. Tesla could simply supply them with a couple of lemons that they are stuck with. If they did that they likely wouldn’t even charge full price.

[–] HikingVet@lemmy.ca 29 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

If they did that they likely wouldn’t even charge full price.

Laughs in military procurement

[–] sepi@piefed.social 12 points 14 hours ago

DOD will pay for FSD twice on each cybertruck

[–] DaddleDew@lemmy.world 12 points 15 hours ago

No need to even deliver them. Just drop the bombs where they sit in Tesla dealerships.

[–] expatriado@lemmy.world 10 points 15 hours ago

Elon: "hey government, would you buy some of my trucks?"

Government: "we don't have any use for those... well, actually..."

[–] EvilEdgelord@sh.itjust.works 3 points 15 hours ago

Soft targets fucking kek 😂