US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth launched Project Meridian to evaluate how the United States can achieve military dominance through the study of future combat. The Pentagon initiative is co-led by Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey, and Newt Gingrich, who must submit their findings and strategic ideas to the department within 120 days. While Hegseth described the project as an effort to study the future of warfare, some reports specify a focus on autonomous warfare systems.

Hegseth stated the project intends to leverage a unique American advantage unavailable to adversaries by tapping into private sector and political expertise. The study aims to identify and conquer new domains of conflict to ensure long-term strategic superiority for several decades.