The US Air Force is buying two Tesla Cybertrucks — but not for transport. They will be used as live-fire targets in missile testing at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
According to documents obtained by The War Zone, the vehicles will support training under the Special Operations Command’s Standoff Precision Guided Munitions program. The goal is to conduct “target vehicle training flight test events” to see how the Cybertruck performs under real-world combat simulations.
Why the Cybertruck?
Officials believe America’s adversaries could use them in the future for military purposes. The Air Force wants to learn if the vehicles, known for their unique design and toughness, can be destroyed in battle conditions.
The Cybertruck’s unpainted stainless steel exoskeleton, angular design, and advanced 48-volt electrical architecture give it exceptional durability. Elon Musk has even called it “apocalypse-proof.” At its 2019 launch, Musk claimed the truck’s windows were unbreakable, although a demonstration famously shattered them. Tesla later shared footage of the vehicle surviving gunfire.
The Verge reports that the Air Force will use the trucks for “target practice” to evaluate their resilience. Military planners are especially interested in its futuristic design and engineering, which could make it more difficult to disable.
Musk himself has suggested possible military uses for the Cybertruck in the past. This year, the US Department of State listed a $400 million plan for armored Teslas in its 2025 procurement forecast — widely seen as referring to Cybertrucks — to be used as armored personnel carriers for American diplomats.
With these tests, the Air Force aims to prepare for a future where such vehicles might appear on the battlefield, ensuring US forces know exactly how to stop them.
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Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
