Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has recruited Elon Musk, Anduril founder Palmer Luckey and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich to co-direct Project Meridian, a Pentagon initiative examining the technologies needed for future wars. Hegseth announced the project on 30 September 30 alongside plans to cut the number of generals and admirals, part of a broader reshaping of the military's senior ranks.
The Pentagon says Project Meridian will examine future warfare from subterranean environments to the cislunar frontier, while considering technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics and advanced autonomous systems. Hegseth has given the group just 120 days to produce its findings, with an unclassified public report accompanied by a classified annex.
