SpaceX Urges Pentagon to Increase Payment for Starlink Services

On May 26, Jin10 reported that SpaceX executives have concluded that the Pentagon should pay higher fees for satellite Wi-Fi network usage, following the success of U.S. suicide drones guided by the Starlink network in the Iraq war. According to two informed sources and Pentagon documents, SpaceX executives met with Pentagon officials weeks after the U.S. bombing campaign began, arguing that the military currently pays about $5,000 per terminal connection but is actually using a higher-grade service valued at nearly $25,000. Interviews with five informed sources and related documents indicate that the controversy surrounding Starlink's use in the 'LUCAS' suicide drones is just a reflection of the increasingly tense relationship between SpaceX and the Pentagon over Starlink pricing in recent months.