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Put simply: Elon Musk is a big bag of wind.

On a more serious note, he’s done a number of good things in been involved with a number of projects, but his ability to predict the future with new technologies has more misses than hits. One need only reference the Boring Company, hyperloop, Neuralink, Twitter (now X) takeover, the Tesla solar roof, semi and truck, supersonic VTOL electric jet, and still failed Starship and ludicrous plans to colonize Mars due two years ago for this. You need to understand something about Musk. His fortune is planted in Tesla as well as SpaceX stock. If those fail, he’s going to be near broke. To make money, therefore, the name of the game is to continue to get the stock prices of those companies jacked higher and higher. To do this, Musk is banking on his genius public persona to support his own flights of speculation and bombast. So far, the media, as well as Elon’s legions of devoted fans have indulged him in this game. But sooner or later, that kind of behavior will be a kite that will inevitably land in the mud.

Now, in regards to a fully autonomous AI driven fighter aircraft, we’re not quite there yet in the technology sense, though a number of defense companies like Anduril are pursuing this. Just when we arrive at the point where a fully autonomous fighter is practical as well as accepted by the military is anybody’s guess. Some reports are giving it no more than 20 years away. Artificial intelligence is nowhere near capable of innovative and pure creative thinking for tactics and can only stochastically parrot what it has been taught. It’s still unclear as to how AI and fully autonomous aircraft will handle challenges, everything from changes and mission parameters, rules of engagement to emergency procedures. A lot of the stuff represents the great unknown and currently no known AI is capable of coping with it.

“Even ‘Star Wars’ had a pilot in the cockpit. Air combat is so dynamic, the human element brings flexibility that I think will actually be the key to success out there. Because there’s just no substitute for being there, on the spot, in the air, seeing who’s injured, who’s not damaged, who’s in trouble, who’s not in trouble. There’s all sorts of things that the pilot can do at the scene that someone, far away from the scene or remotely flying it or a computer controlled airplane will never, ever be able to figure out.”

- Cmdr C.J. ‘Heater’ Heatly, USN (Ret.)

Put simply: Elon Musk is a big bag of wind.

On a more serious note, he’s done a number of good things in been involved with a number of projects, but his ability to predict the future with new technologies has more misses than hits. One need only reference the Boring Company, hyperloop, Neuralink, Twitter (now X) takeover, the Tesla solar roof, Tesla electric semi truck, supersonic VTOL electric jet, and still failed Starship and ludicrous plans to colonize Mars due two years ago for this. You need to understand something about Musk. His fortune is planted in Tesla as well as SpaceX stock. If those fail, he’s going to be near broke. To make money, therefore, the name of the game is to continue to get the stock prices of those companies jacked higher and higher. To do this, Musk is banking on his genius public persona to support his own flights of speculation and bombast. So far, the media, as well as Elon’s legions of devoted fans have indulged him in this game. But sooner or later, that kind of behavior will be a kite that will inevitably land in the mud.

Now, in regards to a fully autonomous AI driven fighter aircraft, we’re not quite there yet in the technology sense, though a number of defense companies like Anduril are pursuing this. Just when we arrive at the point where a fully autonomous fighter is practical as well as accepted by the military is anybody’s guess. Some reports are giving it no more than 20 years away. Artificial intelligence is nowhere near capable of innovative and pure creative thinking for tactics and can only stochastically parrot what it has been taught. It’s still unclear as to how AI and fully autonomous aircraft will handle challenges, everything from changes and mission parameters, rules of engagement to emergency procedures. A lot of the stuff represents the great unknown and currently no known AI is capable of coping with it.

“Even ‘Star Wars’ had a pilot in the cockpit. Air combat is so dynamic, the human element brings flexibility that I think will actually be the key to success out there. Because there’s just no substitute for being there, on the spot, in the air, seeing who’s injured, who’s not damaged, who’s in trouble, who’s not in trouble. There’s all sorts of things that the pilot can do at the scene that someone, far away from the scene or remotely flying it or a computer controlled airplane will never, ever be able to figure out.”

- Cmdr C.J. ‘Heater’ Heatly, USN (Ret.)

Put simply: Elon Musk is a big bag of wind.

On a more serious note, he’s done a number of good things in been involved with a number of projects, but his ability to predict the future with new technologies has more misses than hits. One need only reference the Boring Company, hyperloop, Neuralink, Twitter (now X) takeover, the Tesla solar roof, semi and truck, supersonic VTOL electric jet, and still failed Starship and ludicrous plans to colonize Mars due two years ago for this. You need to understand something about Musk. His fortune is planted in Tesla as well as SpaceX stock. If those fail, he’s going to be near broke. To make money, therefore, the name of the game is to continue to get the stock prices of those companies jacked higher and higher. To do this, Musk is banking on his genius public persona to support his own flights of speculation and bombast. So far, the media, as well as Elon’s legions of devoted fans have indulged him in this game. But sooner or later, that kind of behavior will be a kite that will inevitably land in the mud.

Now, in regards to a fully autonomous AI driven fighter aircraft, we’re not quite there yet in the technology sense, though a number of defense companies like Anduril are pursuing this. Just when we arrive at the point where a fully autonomous fighter is practical as well as accepted by the military is anybody’s guess. Some reports are giving it no more than 20 years away. Artificial intelligence is nowhere near capable of innovative and pure creative thinking for tactics and can only stochastically parrot what it has been taught. It’s still unclear as to how AI and fully autonomous aircraft will handle challenges, everything from changes and mission parameters, rules of engagement to emergency procedures. A lot of the stuff represents the great unknown and currently no known AI is capable of coping with it.

*“Even ‘Star Wars’ had a pilot in the cockpit. Air combat is so dynamic, the human element brings flexibility that I think will actually be the key to success out there. Because there’s just no substitute for being there, on the spot, in the air, seeing who’s injured, who’s not damaged, who’s in trouble, who’s not in trouble. There’s all sorts of things that the pilot can do at the scene that someone, far away from the scene or remotely flying it or a computer controlled airplane will never, ever be able to figure out.”

• Cmdr C.J. ‘Heater’ Heatly, USN (Ret.)*

Put simply: Elon Musk is a big bag of wind.

On a more serious note, he’s done a number of good things in been involved with a number of projects, but his ability to predict the future with new technologies has more misses than hits. One need only reference the Boring Company, hyperloop, Neuralink, Twitter (now X) takeover, the Tesla solar roof, semi and truck, supersonic VTOL electric jet, and still failed Starship and ludicrous plans to colonize Mars due two years ago for this. You need to understand something about Musk. His fortune is planted in Tesla as well as SpaceX stock. If those fail, he’s going to be near broke. To make money, therefore, the name of the game is to continue to get the stock prices of those companies jacked higher and higher. To do this, Musk is banking on his genius public persona to support his own flights of speculation and bombast. So far, the media, as well as Elon’s legions of devoted fans have indulged him in this game. But sooner or later, that kind of behavior will be a kite that will inevitably land in the mud.

Now, in regards to a fully autonomous AI driven fighter aircraft, we’re not quite there yet in the technology sense, though a number of defense companies like Anduril are pursuing this. Just when we arrive at the point where a fully autonomous fighter is practical as well as accepted by the military is anybody’s guess. Some reports are giving it no more than 20 years away. Artificial intelligence is nowhere near capable of innovative and pure creative thinking for tactics and can only stochastically parrot what it has been taught. It’s still unclear as to how AI and fully autonomous aircraft will handle challenges, everything from changes and mission parameters, rules of engagement to emergency procedures. A lot of the stuff represents the great unknown and currently no known AI is capable of coping with it.

“Even ‘Star Wars’ had a pilot in the cockpit. Air combat is so dynamic, the human element brings flexibility that I think will actually be the key to success out there. Because there’s just no substitute for being there, on the spot, in the air, seeing who’s injured, who’s not damaged, who’s in trouble, who’s not in trouble. There’s all sorts of things that the pilot can do at the scene that someone, far away from the scene or remotely flying it or a computer controlled airplane will never, ever be able to figure out.”

- Cmdr C.J. ‘Heater’ Heatly, USN (Ret.)

Put simply: Elon Musk is a big bag of wind.

On a more serious note, he’s done a number of good things in been involved with a number of projects, but his ability to predict the future with new technologies has more misses than hits. One need only reference the Boring Company, hyperloop, Neuralink, Twitter (now X) takeover, the Tesla solar roof, semi and truck, supersonic VTOL electric jet, and still failed Starship and ludicrous plans to colonize Mars due two years ago for this. You need to understand something about Musk. His fortune is planted in Tesla as well as SpaceX stock. If those fail, he’s going to be near broke. To make money, therefore, the name of the game is to continue to get the stock prices of those companies jacked higher and higher. To do this, Musk is banking on his genius public persona to support his own flights of speculation and bombast. So far, the media, as well as Elon’s legions of devoted fans have indulged him in this game. But sooner or later, that kind of behavior will be a kite that will inevitably land in the mud.

Now, in regards to a fully autonomous AI driven fighter aircraft, we’re not quite there yet in the technology sense, though a number of defense companies like Anduril are pursuing this. Just when we arrive at the point where a fully autonomous fighter is practical as well as accepted by the military is anybody’s guess. Some reports are giving it no more than 20 years away. Artificial intelligence is nowhere near capable of innovative and pure creative thinking for tactics and can only stochastically parrot what it has been taught. It’s still unclear as to how AI and fully autonomous aircraft will handle challenges, everything from changes and mission parameters, rules of engagement to emergency procedures. A lot of the stuff represents the great unknown and currently no known AI is capable of coping with it.

“Even ‘Star Wars’ had a pilot in the cockpit. Air combat is so dynamic, the human element brings flexibility that I think will actually be the key to success out there. Because there’s just no substitute for being there, on the spot, in the air, seeing who’s injured, who’s not damaged, who’s in trouble, who’s not in trouble. There’s all sorts of things that the pilot can do at the scene that someone, far away from the scene or remotely flying it or a computer controlled airplane will never, ever be able to figure out.”

Cmdr C.J. Heatly, USN (Ret.)

Put simply: Elon Musk is a big bag of wind.

On a more serious note, he’s done a number of good things in been involved with a number of projects, but his ability to predict the future with new technologies has more misses than hits. One need only reference the Boring Company, hyperloop, Neuralink, Twitter (now X) takeover, the Tesla solar roof, semi and truck, supersonic VTOL electric jet, and still failed Starship and ludicrous plans to colonize Mars due two years ago for this. You need to understand something about Musk. His fortune is planted in Tesla as well as SpaceX stock. If those fail, he’s going to be near broke. To make money, therefore, the name of the game is to continue to get the stock prices of those companies jacked higher and higher. To do this, Musk is banking on his genius public persona to support his own flights of speculation and bombast. So far, the media, as well as Elon’s legions of devoted fans have indulged him in this game. But sooner or later, that kind of behavior will be a kite that will inevitably land in the mud.

Now, in regards to a fully autonomous AI driven fighter aircraft, we’re not quite there yet in the technology sense, though a number of defense companies like Anduril are pursuing this. Just when we arrive at the point where a fully autonomous fighter is practical as well as accepted by the military is anybody’s guess. Some reports are giving it no more than 20 years away. Artificial intelligence is nowhere near capable of innovative and pure creative thinking for tactics and can only stochastically parrot what it has been taught. It’s still unclear as to how AI and fully autonomous aircraft will handle challenges, everything from changes and mission parameters, rules of engagement to emergency procedures. A lot of the stuff represents the great unknown and currently no known AI is capable of coping with it.

*“Even ‘Star Wars’ had a pilot in the cockpit. Air combat is so dynamic, the human element brings flexibility that I think will actually be the key to success out there. Because there’s just no substitute for being there, on the spot, in the air, seeing who’s injured, who’s not damaged, who’s in trouble, who’s not in trouble. There’s all sorts of things that the pilot can do at the scene that someone, far away from the scene or remotely flying it or a computer controlled airplane will never, ever be able to figure out.”

• Cmdr C.J. ‘Heater’ Heatly, USN (Ret.)*