The Pentagon is looking to build the "next great American base," and governors can bid to host it in their states, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Sept. 30.
Hegseth said the U.S. military will construct a new, state-of-the-art facility that can house 15,000 to 25,000 troops to "serve as a foundational hub for integrated defense operations, distributed command-and-control, and resilient cyber and technological capabilities."
"President Trump is a builder, and this project is about doing something bold, beautiful, and world-class for the great Americans who wear our nation’s uniform," Hegseth said in the speech to service members at the Marine Corps Base Quantico.
The governors will be invited to Washington, DC, to pitch him, other top
military officials, and potentially even Trump on their proposals, according to Hegseth.
Though Hegseth largely used the "State of the Force" address to repeat his long-standing complaints with the U.S. military’s culture, he also announced a series of initiatives aimed at modernizing the armed services.
The Pentagon chief also announced an effort, titled "Project Meridian," to study which technological capabilities will be needed for the future of warfare.
The effort will be codirected by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and Anduril Industries CEO Palmer Luckey. Their roles could raise conflict-of-interest concerns as Musk and Luckey own stakes in companies that do business with the Defense Department.
Musk’s appointment to help lead the effort brings him back into the U.S. government, as he previously led the Trump administration’s DOGE effort for several months before he had a major falling out with the president.
"Project Meridian will study the battlefields of the future, identify which weapons and technologies warfighters will need to harness to dominate in these environments, and propose actionable solutions to start developing, testing and fielding these capabilities," Hegseth wrote in a memo.
The U.S. military will also launch a new combatant command for autonomous warfare, the Pentagon announced. The new command, which must be authorized by Congress, has a target establishment date of October 2027.
"This command will possess directed manpower, budget, acquisition authorities and create dedicated military career pathways for Officers and Enlisted personnel," according to a memo from the Pentagon.
The initiative comes as the Ukrainian military's use of drones to defend against Russia's invasion has revealed that low-cost technology can transform modern warfare.
"Ukraine’s lesson is not that one type of drone wins wars but rather the need for a purpose-built system that maximizes the ability to adapt," Hegseth said.
The Pentagon named Owen West, director of the Defense Innovation Unit, and Navy SEAL Senior Chief Max Strasiser to lead the process until a four-star military officer can take command.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hegseth launches search for Pentagon's 'next great American base'
