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The Pentagon has established Project Meridian, a 120-day strategic study on future warfare led by Elon Musk, Anduril Industries founder Palmer Luckey, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Announced by U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on September 30, 2026, at Marine Corps Base Quantico, the initiative brings external technologists into military planning.
Pete Hegseth Launches Project Meridian Defense Review
As reported by ANTARA News, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth launched Project Meridian on a Wednesday to examine the shifting nature of the battlefield. Rather than drafting traditional policy papers or strategy manuals, the 120-day initiative focuses on identifying the specific domains the United States military must control and the capabilities it must master. The project will evaluate warfare for the years 2030, 2050, and 2100.
According to detikInet, the project operates under the direction of Pentagon Chief Technology Officer Emil Michael. The study draws on personnel from the government, industry, and academia to evaluate future conflict scenarios stretching from beneath the Earth’s surface out to the Moon. None of the three appointed leaders have military experience; Musk previously moved from South Africa to Canada to avoid military conscription, Luckey is a defense technology entrepreneur, and Gingrich is a politician.
| Project Meridian Leader | Affiliation | Key Defense/Technology Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Elon Musk | Tesla / SpaceX | Autonomous systems, robotics (Optimus), and orbital space capabilities |
| Palmer Luckey | Anduril Industries | Autonomous defense technology and counter-drone systems |
| Newt Gingrich | Former U.S. House Speaker |
Studi Fokus Pada Teknologi Senjata Masa Depan
Kompas.tv notes that the study centers on artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, directed energy weapons, robotics, and biotechnology. Hegseth stated during his address at Quantico that Pihak yang paling jago memprediksi konflik masa depan tidak hanya ada di dalam Pentagon
. Luckey noted that Kami akan mempelajari perang yang terjadi hari ini, tetapi juga memikirkan secara serius perang yang tidak boleh sampai kita jalani pada 2030, 2050, dan 2100
, while Hegseth added that Kami akan berfokus pada menemukan, mengembangkan, dan menerapkan senjata serta sistem yang akan dibutuhkan anak-anak dan cucu-cucu kita dalam kehidupan mereka
.
The appointment marks Musk’s formal return to a presidential advisory role following his departure from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in May 2025. Concurrently, Musk’s commercial enterprises maintain deep ties with Washington. SpaceX holds major defense contracts, including a USD 4,16 billion contract to build tracking satellites, while Anduril secured a contract from the U.S. Marine Corps for anti-drone systems valued at USD 642 million in 2025. Prior to his new defense technology initiatives, Musk attended a White House meeting on September 29, 2026, where he signed a voluntary agreement regarding artificial intelligence development.
Tesla Pivots Production Toward Optimus Humanoid Robots
Tekno.Kompas.com reported that Musk’s involvement in robotics parallels major shifts within his private ventures, particularly Tesla’s pivot toward humanoid robots known as Optimus. Tesla dismantled assembly lines for Model S and Model X vehicles at its Fremont, California facility to retool them for high-volume Optimus manufacturing in 46 days, targeting a production capacity of one million units per year. Palmer Luckey previously founded Anduril in 2017 after selling his virtual reality headset company Oculus to Facebook.
Project Meridian’s findings are scheduled for delivery within its strict 120-day operational window.
