The U.S. Air Force is looking to add two Tesla Cybertrucks to its precision munition weapons testing program at New Mexico’s White Sands Missile Range, according to recently submitted contracting documents.
The request, submitted by the Air Force Test Center, singled out the vehicle by name among a 33-vehicle procurement list while citing the Cybertruck’s unique design and growing relevance as a potential battlefield threat.
While most of the listed vehicles are standard sedans, pickups and SUVs, the Cybertrucks, known for their stainless steel exteriors and sharply angular design, are the only brand-specified models requested for target practice.
Military planners say the trucks could realistically be used by adversaries in future conflicts — and that training must reflect those real-world possibilities.
“In the operating theater, it is likely the type of vehicles used by the enemy may transition to Tesla Cybertrucks, as they have been found not to receive the normal extent of damage expected upon major impact,” the service request states. “Testing needs to mirror real world situations.”
The testing falls under U.S. Special Operations Command’s Standoff Precision Guided Munitions program, which includes air-launched weapons such as the AGM-114 Hellfire, AGM-176 Griffin and the GBU-39/B Laser Small Diameter Bomb. These munitions are designed to strike vehicles and other ground targets with high accuracy while minimizing collateral damage.
The Air Force request notes the inclusion of Cybertrucks in the contract is due to a design and electrical architecture that set it apart from any other vehicle currently on the market.
A February 2025 market study cited the vehicle’s unpainted stainless steel exoskeleton and sharply angular form — features that differ from the painted steel or aluminum bodies of conventional vehicles — along with an efficient 48V electrical system as features competitors are only beginning to explore.
As commercially available vehicles increasingly appear in irregular warfare and non-state conflicts, the Air Force is taking steps to prepare for less predictable battlefield conditions.
The inclusion of Cybertrucks in testing scenarios reflects a broader trend: planning not just for traditional threats, but for those that may emerge from repurposed consumer technology.
