Musk Joins Pentagon's Future Warfare Project Meridian

Elon Musk is stepping into a new advisory role focused on future military technology. The move comes as the Pentagon looks to rethink how wars might unfold decades from now.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the plan during a speech at Marine Corps Base Quantico. He said Musk will co-lead a new initiative called Project Meridian. The goal is to spot upcoming threats and figure out what kind of gear troops might need.

Musk will work alongside Palmer Luckey, a defense tech entrepreneur, and Newt Gingrich, a former House speaker. Together they will report to Emil Michael, the Pentagon's chief technology officer.

Hegseth argued that outside experts often see things the military misses. He said the team has just 120 days to map out future battlefields. Their findings will include a public report and a classified summary.

The scope is huge, Hegseth said. Planning will stretch from deep underground to outer space. Instead of making new rules, the group will focus on naming the areas where the U.S. must stay ahead.

Both Musk and Luckey bring real experience. Musk runs SpaceX, a top Pentagon contractor. Luckey founded Anduril Industries, which builds autonomous weapons. Their companies already compete for defense contracts, which could raise ethics questions.

Project Meridian is part of a bigger shift. Hegseth also announced a new Autonomous Warfare Command. This four-star unit will push robot and drone tech across all military branches.

The Pentagon plans to create new career tracks for these high-tech fighters. Hegseth said the military should have started this shift years ago. He wants to avoid falling behind on the next big tech wave.

This year's speech targeted younger officers and top enlisted members. Hegseth called them the force's future leaders. The event marked his second annual State of the Force address.