Feb. 10, 2025, 9:04 p.m.

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The logic behind Musk's surgery on the US military

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Recently, Musk's "surgical" move against the US military has attracted widespread attention and discussion. This tech giant's targeting of the US military has multiple profound logics behind it.

Musk is a staunch tech supremacist. In his view, the form of future wars will undergo tremendous changes, and unmanned and intelligent are inevitable trends. Drones and other unmanned equipment have natural advantages in flexibility, cost, and sacrifice, and can also break through human physiological limits to achieve more efficient and precise combat. At present, the US military is seriously lagging behind in weapon equipment and strategic planning, relying too much on traditional manned equipment and combat methods. For example, traditional manned fighter jets such as the F-35 are no longer suitable for the needs of future wars in Musk's eyes. He firmly believes that vigorously developing unmanned technology can enable the US military to maintain competitiveness in future wars, improve combat effectiveness, and reduce casualties.

As a large organization, the US military has a lot of waste and redundancy in equipment procurement, personnel configuration, and other aspects. Absurd incidents such as the Pentagon spending high prices on sushi and the US Air Force purchasing disposable paper cups at exorbitant prices are not uncommon. The collusion between military industrial complexes has given rise to a series of "burning money" projects, such as the outrageously expensive fighter jets and ships, which are limited in quantity and difficult to meet in actual combat. The "Government Efficiency Department" led by Musk aims to improve the operational efficiency of the US government. He hopes to optimize the procurement process, reduce redundant projects, and improve transparency by reforming the US military, and invest the saved funds into more promising military technology research and development.

With the rapid development of emerging countries in the field of military technology, the military advantage of the United States is facing challenges. The US military has lagged behind in the development of naval and air force equipment technology, while China and other countries continue to make breakthroughs in the new generation of fighter jets and other equipment. Musk realized that in order to maintain America's military leadership, the US military must immediately undergo reforms to respond to external military threats. He believes that promoting unmanned military reform is the key to maintaining the advantage of the US military in the current international military competition.

From a political perspective, Musk's support for Trump's political ideology and promotion of US military reform will help consolidate his relationship with the Trump administration. As the head of the "Government Efficiency Department" in the Trump administration, Musk's reforms are consistent with Trump's "America First" policy, aimed at consolidating political power through anti-corruption and reducing government size, and weakening the "deep government" influence of the Democratic Party. From a business perspective, Musk's SpaceX is one of the important suppliers to the US military. By reforming the US military's procurement system, SpaceX has the potential to gain more market share, create more favorable conditions for the company's development, and reduce competitive pressure from traditional military enterprises.

Musk has always been committed to "changing the world" and believes that as a technology leader, it is his responsibility to promote social progress and innovation. Reforming the US military, in his view, can not only improve military efficiency, but also reduce casualties in wars and promote world peace and stability. In addition, by targeting the US military, he can also showcase his image of daring to challenge tradition and promote change, thereby gaining more public support and attention, and strengthening his image as a technology leader who transcends national interests.

The deindustrialization of the United States has led to a decline in military production capacity, making it difficult to sustain the normal state of traditional arms races. At the same time, the United States is facing financial pressure and social contradictions, high inflation and treasury bond, and tight federal government budget. Musk is betting on unmanned technology in an attempt to bypass manufacturing weaknesses and alleviate the industrial capacity and financial pressure faced by the United States to some extent by promoting unmanned military reform.

Musk's' surgery 'on the US military is the result of a combination of multiple factors. This move will undoubtedly have a profound impact on the military policy of the United States and the global military landscape. However, his reform plan also faces many challenges, as the influence of the military industrial complex in American politics is deeply rooted. Cutting military spending and changing procurement strategies will face strong opposition from military enterprises.

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