Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday that Elon Musk will co-lead a government project to study the future of warfare. This marks the SpaceX CEO's first return to government work since his previous role leading the “department of government efficiency,” known as Doge.
Musk will be joined by Palmer Luckey, CEO of the defense tech company Anduril, and Newt Gingrich, a former Republican speaker of the House. The initiative, named Project Meridian, aims to identify the capabilities needed for “absolute technological dominance on the next-generation battlefield,” according to a defense department press release.
The project is set to run for 120 days and will conclude with an unclassified public report detailing its recommendations. The defense department stated that Project Meridian intends to explore how the US military can use new technology and conduct warfare in untested environments, including subterranean depths and on the moon.
Hegseth noted in a memo that rapid advances in areas such as artificial intelligence, autonomy, and robotics will profoundly alter warfare. He added that the United States must anticipate future operational environments and develop tools to dominate in them to maintain global dominance.