Musk to help lead Pentagon team studying the future of war – stripes.com

Musk to help lead Pentagon team studying the future of war  stripes.com

Musk will co-lead a new Pentagon initiative called “Project Meridian,” a study that will recommend weapons the military should develop. Elon Musk interacts with reporters at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 29, 2026. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday that Musk will co-lead a government project studying the future of warfare. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP) 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