US defense firm demands reform from Musk, cites competition from Türkiye

The CEO of US defense firm General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has penned a letter to Elon Musk complaining that several countries including Türkiye have gained a competitive advantage against the company in the global drone market, and demanding he push forward major reform.

"Within GA-ASI's own export market, poor US Government (USG) policy and sluggish bureaucratic decision-making has opened the door for competitors like China, Turkey, and Israel to win important international customers," Linden Blue wrote to Musk on Monday.

"Sales lost to these competitors while we waited on some USG action means less funding available for re-investment into R&D and modernized manufacturing infrastructure. Bold leadership is needed. Past reform efforts, often supervised by the very organizations most in need of reform, have failed. DOGE has the potential to drive meaningful change, and we are ready to help where we can," added Blue.

He was referring to the Musk-led department of government efficiency, a commission created by President Donald Trump on his first day in office with the stated aim of eliminating wasteful spending.

Blue specifically criticized what he called "significant friction and resistance from the establishment," citing in particular the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), saying it should be reoriented away from drone exports and focus instead on ballistic missile technology tied to weapons of mass destruction.

"We should counter the unfair market advantages gained by foreign suppliers not subject to self-imposed MTCR limitations. Further, we must objectively balance the prioritization of technology security with that of arming allies and partners (using their own money!) for future conflicts and increased burden-sharing," he wrote.

Blue also called on Musk to streamline the Foreign Military Sales program, and to use government authorities to expedite sales with the aim of "prioritizing warfighter needs over obsession with process."