Two Tesla Cybertrucks are headed for a destructive fate at the hands of the U.S. military. The U.S. Air Force plans to purchase the vehicles as live-fire missile targets at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The trucks will join 31 other civilian vehicles in a test of advanced precision-guided weapons.
Unlike the other vehicles in the test batch, the Air Force specifically requested Cybertrucks due to their “unique design and growing relevance.” Military officials want to see how well modern weapons perform against the vehicle’s unusual stainless steel exterior and angular shape. The trucks must be intact but non-functional, with batteries removed so they can be towed to the testing site.
The decision to target Cybertrucks comes from concerns that enemies might use them in future conflicts. Military documents suggest these vehicles could withstand impacts better than standard cars and trucks. There’s already evidence of interest in weaponizing Cybertrucks – Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov reportedly modified one with a machine gun before Tesla allegedly disabled it remotely.
Advanced civilian vehicles like the Cybertruck present unique threats when weaponized by potential adversaries on tomorrow’s battlefields.
The planned testing will use several powerful weapons, including AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, AGM-176 Griffin missiles, and GBU-39/B Laser Small Diameter Bombs. These weapons are designed to hit targets with high accuracy while causing minimal collateral damage. The Air Force Test Center submitted the request for the vehicles as part of their comprehensive testing program. The purchase is part of a larger order of 33 vehicles for munitions testing.
This program falls under U.S. Special Operations Command‘s efforts to improve precision munitions. The military needs to know if their current weapons can effectively neutralize vehicles with advanced civilian engineering that might appear on future battlefields.
Results from the tests will help the Pentagon adjust its targeting methods and weapon selection. It’s part of a broader effort to prepare for conflicts where the line between civilian and military technology is increasingly blurred.
Despite Tesla marketing the Cybertruck as “apocalypse proof,” some experts doubt its actual battlefield usefulness. The upcoming missile tests will provide concrete data on just how tough Elon Musk’s creation really is against military firepower.
References
- https://www.businessinsider.com/us-air-force-cybertrucks-target-practice-tesla-elon-musk-2025-8
 - https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2025/08/08/us-air-force-eyes-purchase-of-tesla-cybertrucks-to-blow-up/
 - https://www.ainvest.com/news/air-force-buys-tesla-cybertrucks-missile-testing-assess-threat-scenarios-2508/
 - https://www.twz.com/land/air-force-wants-tesla-cybertrucks-to-launch-missiles-at
 - https://opentools.ai/news/us-air-force-to-repurpose-tesla-cybertrucks-for-missile-target-practice