Elon Musk is calling the F-35 fighter jets obsolete. He made the claim on the social media platform X, the social media site he owns. Since President-elect Donald Trump tapped Musk as a government efficiency advisor. Some people are worried about the possible impact on Fort Worth’s Lockheed-Martin. NBC 5’s Vince Sims has the story.
Tommy's Burgers in Fort Worth sits just outside the base and Lockheed Martin.
“We named several of our burgers after the planes of the base,” Tommy’s Burgers owner Kelly Smith said. “For example, we have a Blue Angel, and then we have a Thunderbird chicken breast sandwich.”
Owner Kelly Smith said Lockheed employees were a large part of her business.
“Our regulars from Lockheed Martin I would say at least 40%,” Smith said.
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But she and her partner Holly Edwards see them as more than just dollars.
“Our philosophy here at Tommy's is, yeah, we love you as a customer, but we love you even more as a friend,” Edwards said.
They are worried about their friends after proposed Government Efficiency Advisory Elon Musk posted comments on X degrading the F-35 fighter jets made at Lockheed.
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Musk said in part, “The F-35 design was broken at the requirements level… manned fighter jets are obsolete in the age of drones…”
In another post, he said, “… some idiots are still building manned fighter jets like the F-35.”
Still, Lockheed Martin reports 19 other countries besides the United States use their F-35.
In a statement released to NBC 5 Lockheed said in part, “As we did in his first term, we look forward to a strong working relationship with President Trump, his team, and also with the new congress to strengthen our national defense.”
Still, that doesn't ease concerns for those close to Lockheed.
“My first concern would be for the people employed at Lockheed Martin and how that would affect their lives and their families and, you know, trickle down the economy, which would affect us,” Smith said.
