Musk named to lead US study of future warfare

The US defence department said Musk, Luckey and Gingrich will jointly direct Project Meridian, a study commissioned by defence secretary Pete Hegseth. Emil Michael, the department’s chief technology officer, is facilitating the project, which is expected to draw on academic, policy and industry experts. [1]

The study will examine future military capabilities across a range of domains, from underground operations to the space between Earth and the Moon. Hegseth has ordered a final report within 120 days of the project’s establishment. Its findings and recommendations are to be released publicly, with a separate classified annex. [1]

Project Meridian is a research initiative, not the new Autonomous Warfare Command that Hegseth announced separately. The department aims to establish that command by October 2027. [1]

The choice of leaders also brings defence industry figures into the study. Luckey founded Anduril, which has an existing US Army procurement framework for its technologies. The Army says the framework’s value of up to $20 billion is a maximum potential figure, not money already committed. [7]