this post was submitted on 08 Aug 2025
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[–] baconmonsta@piefed.social 145 points 2 days ago (2 children)

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

[–] pupbiru@aussie.zone 9 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days 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 27 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

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

[–] OutlierBlue@lemmy.ca 120 points 2 days 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.

[–] Sludgehammer@lemmy.world 21 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca 6 points 2 days ago

Don't forget wind, and therefore speed

[–] Donjuanme@lemmy.world 16 points 2 days ago

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

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 14 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Imagine what bullets and rockets would do to 'em!

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

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 113 points 2 days 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

[–] jonne@infosec.pub 36 points 2 days ago (4 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 26 points 2 days ago (1 children)

wherever the air force expects to be bombing people next.

California?

[–] Donjuanme@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago

Fuck.

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

[–] AbidanYre@lemmy.world 21 points 2 days ago (1 children)

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

[–] HikingVet@lemmy.ca 9 points 2 days ago
[–] icelimit@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Pretty sure people have converted cyber trucks into ice.

[–] HikingVet@lemmy.ca 8 points 2 days ago

Holy shit, that is even stupider than buying a wankpanzer to begin with.

[–] SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] Nurse_Robot@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago

I hardly know her!

[–] kreskin@lemmy.world 7 points 2 days ago

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

/s

[–] Rolder@reddthat.com 16 points 2 days 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 12 points 2 days 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...

[–] Rolder@reddthat.com 13 points 2 days ago

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

[–] Asmodeus_Krang@infosec.pub 7 points 2 days 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 2 days 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@infosec.pub -1 points 2 days ago

Lol. Okay 👌

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

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.

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

If it hit one, or hit 100 in 6 inches....

It would still cause a small fast bullet to lose effectiveness. Because a small bullet is effective because of speed

I honestly don't know how to explain it any simpler

[–] 30p87@feddit.org 9 points 2 days ago

I hope they don't.

[–] kreskin@lemmy.world 36 points 2 days 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.

[–] OkBananas@lemmy.world 38 points 2 days 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 2 days ago

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

[–] atzanteol@sh.itjust.works 28 points 2 days 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 2 days 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 31 points 2 days ago (1 children)

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

Laughs in military procurement

[–] sepi@piefed.social 12 points 2 days ago

DOD will pay for FSD twice on each cybertruck

[–] 6stringringer@lemmy.zip 4 points 2 days 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.

[–] DaddleDew@lemmy.world 13 points 2 days ago

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

[–] expatriado@lemmy.world 11 points 2 days ago

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

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

[–] Sam_Bass@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

Best thing for them to do

[–] EvilEdgelord@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 days ago

Soft targets fucking kek 😂