Elon Musk

Elon Musk's comments about obsolete F-35 worry people connected to Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin reports 19 other countries besides the United States use their F-35s

NBC Universal, Inc.

Tommy's Burgers in Fort Worth sits just outside the base and Lockheed Martin.

โ€œWe named several of our burgers after the planes of the base,โ€ Tommyโ€™s Burgers owner Kelly Smith said. โ€œFor example, we have a Blue Angel, and then we have a Thunderbird chicken breast sandwich.โ€

Owner Kelly Smith said Lockheed employees were a large part of her business.

โ€œOur regulars from Lockheed Martin I would say at least 40%,โ€ Smith said.

But she and her partner Holly Edwards see them as more than just dollars.

โ€œOur philosophy here at Tommy's is, yeah, we love you as a customer, but we love you even more as a friend,โ€ 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.

Musk said in part, โ€œThe F-35 design was broken at the requirements levelโ€ฆ manned fighter jets are obsolete in the age of dronesโ€ฆโ€

In another post, he said, โ€œโ€ฆ some idiots are still building manned fighter jets like the F-35.โ€

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, โ€œAs 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.โ€

Still, that doesn't ease concerns for those close to Lockheed.

โ€œMy 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,โ€ Smith said.

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