On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he has enlisted Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ:SPCX) CEO Elon Musk, Anduril Industries co-founder Palmer Luckey and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich to help the Pentagon anticipate how artificial intelligence, robotics and other emerging technologies could reshape future warfare.
Pentagon Launches ‘Project Meridian’
Hegseth announced the initiative at Quantico, Virginia, calling it "Project Meridian" and saying it will look decades ahead to identify technologies and systems the U.S. military could need on future battlefields.
He said that the project is intended to forecast future conflicts rather than develop immediate military policies or strategies.
"We should have the humility to recognize that the best forecasters of future conflict do not solely reside inside the Pentagon," he said.
Musk, Luckey and Gingrich will work under Emil Michael, the Pentagon’s undersecretary for research and engineering.
Hegseth said the group will examine potential capabilities “without any creative limitations or restrictions, on any future battlefield, from under the Earth to beyond the moon.”
The first Project Meridian meeting was scheduled for Wednesday at a sensitive compartmented information facility at the Pentagon following Hegseth’s announcement, according to The Hill.
Pentagon Targets AI, Robotics and Autonomous Warfare
A Pentagon memo released alongside the announcement said rapid advances in artificial intelligence, autonomy, directed energy, robotics and biotechnology could fundamentally change warfare.
The department directed Michael to produce recommendations by Jan. 28 on future battlefields, weapons and technologies that should be developed, tested and eventually fielded.
Hegseth Unveils Autonomous Warfare Command
Project Meridian is part of a broader series of initiatives Hegseth unveiled to modernize the U.S. military.
Among them is the planned Autonomous Warfare Command, or "Autowarcom," a new four-star command expected to become operational by October 2027.
The initiatives come as the Pentagon seeks to accelerate the development and acquisition of drones, autonomous systems and counter-drone technology.
The Pentagon is seeking to triple spending on autonomous warfare, proposing a record $74 billion for drone and counter-drone technology in its largest-ever budget request, the Wall Street Journal reported.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo Courtesy: Philip Yabut on Shutterstock.com
Photo Courtesy: Philip Yabut on Shutterstock.com
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