Interview: Paul Livingston hits back at the billionaire’s claim the fighter jets will soon be obsolete

Summary

Lockheed Martin UK’s chief, Paul Livingston, defended the F-35 stealth jet program after Elon Musk called it obsolete due to advances in unmanned drones.

Livingston emphasized the F-35’s unmatched capabilities, including stealth, battlefield data-sharing, and cost-efficiency by replacing multiple aircraft types.

While Musk labeled the program overly expensive and poorly designed, Livingston argued drones alone can’t match the F-35’s capabilities or defend against threats like China’s J20 jets.

Despite criticism over cost and reliability, the F-35 remains integral to NATO defenses, with widespread adoption across 19 nations, including the UK.

  • skillissuerEnglish
    32·
    1 year ago

    what a take

    yeah this must be why south korea, japan, singapore, israel, finland, poland, romania and greece don’t have, or procure, F-35

    hardened hangars are a thing, and unlike magic drones, F-35s already exist

      • skillissuerEnglish
        2·
        1 year ago

        in case of poland, you’re forgetting about ballistic missiles stationed in belarus and kaliningrad. in case of japan and to some degree south korea, there are also possible adversary’s naval assets