Musk to help lead Pentagon team studying the future of war

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk will co-lead a new Pentagon initiative called “Project Meridian,” a 120-day study that will examine the future of warfare and recommend weapons and capabilities the military should develop.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made the announcement during his “State of the Force” address to junior officers and enlisted leaders on Sept. 30 at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia.

The project will be co-directed by Musk, Anduril co-founder Palmer Luckey and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. A supporting team of “elite academic, policy, and industry experts” will help identify advanced systems and ways to accelerate their development and fielding to strengthen deterrence, according to a Pentagon statement.

Musk’s SpaceX builds rockets and provides satellite and launch services, including for the U.S. government. Anduril develops autonomous weapons and military technology. Both hold multibillion-dollar defense contracts with the U.S. government.

The announcement comes a little less than three months after the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, was disbanded. Musk, the world’s richest man, helped lead the organization, which was formed in 2025 with the aim of cutting government waste and modernizing federal technology.

Critics said DOGE gave Musk inappropriate influence over agencies that regulate his companies and raised concerns about his business interests and access to sensitive government data.

Musk has described DOGE as “somewhat successful,” saying it saved the government $200 billion. However, an August Government Accountability Office report found that some of DOGE’s savings estimates were “incorrect or lack supporting evidence.”

Project Meridian was announced alongside plans for a new four-star functional combatant command for autonomous warfare called the Autonomous Warfare Command, or AUTOWARCOM.

A memorandum signed by Hegseth states that the new command will “test equipment and force designs with realistic opposition in demanding exercises and rugged environments, modify rapidly and field what works.” 

The new command will focus on technological developments such as artificial intelligence, robotics and biotechnology.

Another memorandum, titled “The Future of Warfare,” directed the Joint Staff and all services to be prepared to connect their future warfare efforts and research to Project Meridian.

The project’s final findings and recommendations are scheduled to be submitted to the defense secretary no later than Jan. 28, 2027. An unclassified report is planned for public release, accompanied by a classified annex.