Tech ties deepen between the Pentagon and big tech

An Air Force plan to use Tesla Cybertrucks for target practice highlights the growing partnership between the Pentagon and private tech firms.

Air Force targets Tesla Cybertrucks for battlefield training and signals evolving ties between the Pentagon and Big Tech

The Air Force Material Command says it plans to acquire two Tesla Cybertrucks for target vehicle training flight test events, along with 31 other vehicles, to simulate battlefield conditions. The vehicles do not need to be fully operational, but must be intact enough to move on their wheels, and the aim is to mirror real world scenarios to prepare units for possible future threats. The documents describing the plan note that the drive is to reflect the kinds of challenges adversaries might pose and that the design of the Cybertrucks, including their angular shape and stainless steel exterior, differentiates them from other models used in training.

Analysts say the move, while technically modest on its own, illustrates a broader pattern: the Defense Department increasingly relies on private tech firms for research, development and testing. In recent years the government has signed large contracts with SpaceX, Palantir and OpenAI, among others, expanding the role of civilian companies in national security work. The trend has accelerated under both parties, with lawmakers and researchers debating how far the private sector should shape defense strategy and oversight.

The story is about more than a single procurement. It points to a shift in how national security is built and tested. When the military buys or borrows consumer and commercial tech for training, it can accelerate innovation, but it also raises questions about accountability, transparency and public spending. The growing overlap between the Pentagon and private tech firms could redefine what counts as national security work and who pays for it. This dynamic invites scrutiny from policymakers, taxpayers and civil society, even as it promises faster tech adoption for urgent defense needs.

Looking ahead, the fusion of defense aims with private sector innovation may become the new normal. That could mean better tools for defense, but it could also widen disparities in influence and access, making oversight essays more critical than ever. As one analyst put it, the door is pretty open to the interpenetration of high tech and the Defense Department, a trend that will shape policy for years to come.

Highlights

Watching these ties unfold will reveal how much control the public has over a privatized path to security.