Defense Secretary Hegseth launches Project Meridian with Musk, Luckey and Gingrich

The new initiative will produce an unclassified report and a classified annex within 120 days.

By Felo News Desk · Published Thu, 01 Oct 2026 05:26:23 GMT

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a new Pentagon effort, Project Meridian, on 30 September 2026 during his State of the Force address in Quantico. The project will be co‑directed by tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, Anduril founder Palmer Luckey and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

What happened

During the address, Hegseth said the panel will study emerging battlefield technologies and deliver an unclassified report with a classified annex. The team, which will also include academics and policy experts, has 120 days to submit findings and propose actionable solutions for development, testing and fielding of advanced systems. Hegseth also announced the creation of an Autonomous Warfare Command to accelerate autonomous system deployment.

What the reports add

TechCrunch noted that the effort will be overseen by Defense Department CTO Emil Michael and that the exact size of the team was not disclosed. The outlet also reported that the Pentagon’s announcement mentioned a partner organization without naming it. The New York Post highlighted Hegseth’s quote that “the best forecasters of future conflict do not solely reside inside the Pentagon” and emphasized the goal of identifying domains the military must conquer.

What was said

"As we scan that horizon of an unknown future, we should have the humility to recognize that the best forecasters of future conflict do not solely reside inside the Pentagon," Hegseth told the audience, as reported by the New York Post.
"Its purpose is to creatively look to the future and identify the domains that we must conquer and capabilities we must master," he added, also cited by the New York Post.
TechCrunch quoted Hegseth’s letter stating the panel will "study the battlefields of the future" and the "weapons and technologies warfighters may use on them."

How it came about

Project Meridian follows Hegseth’s broader reform agenda outlined in his State of the Force address, which also included a proposal to cut up to 20% of senior military billets (Felo coverage). Earlier in September, Musk discussed the economic impact of AI at a White House briefing (Felo coverage), underscoring his growing involvement in government‑linked technology initiatives.

Key facts

Project Meridian will be co‑directed by Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey and Newt Gingrich. (nypost.com)
The panel has 120 days to produce an unclassified report and a classified annex. (techcrunch.com)
Defense Department CTO Emil Michael will oversee the effort. (techcrunch.com)
An Autonomous Warfare Command was also announced. (techcrunch.com)