The U.S. military’s embrace of artificial intelligence has accelerated dramatically in recent months, with the Marine Corps and the Pentagon announcing a suite of new contracts and partnerships that signal a turning point in how America prepares for the wars of tomorrow. From Palantir’s deepening ties with the Department of Defense to the controversial inclusion of Elon Musk’s xAI chatbot, the landscape of defense technology is shifting—fast, and not without debate.
On September 11, 2025, the Marine Corps announced a significant new contract with Palantir Technologies, granting the Corps an enterprise license for the company’s Maven Smart System (MSS) tool. According to a MARADMIN message released the following day, this deal enables “unlimited access” to MSS through the SIPRnet Impact Level-6 (IL-6) cloud for all assigned and attached personnel across an array of commands and organizations. That list includes Headquarters Marine Corps, Marine Forces Pacific, Marine Forces Command, Marine Special Operations Command, Marine-led task forces, and the Corps’ support establishment. Notably, access for Marine Forces Reserve personnel will be rolled out in future iterations.
The move cements MSS as the standard fires and effects integration platform across multiple combatant commands. As DefenseScoop reports, MSS is already in use at U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, U.S. Central Command, and U.S. European Command. Marines have conducted user evaluations and employed the system in a variety of operational and experimental settings, demonstrating its flexibility and value on the modern battlefield.
But what exactly does the Maven Smart System do? According to the Marine Corps, the system provides a “comprehensive” user interface and data management platform that simplifies data sharing, workflow integration, and fusion for AI-enabled battle management and command and control across warfighting functions. The platform visualizes data geospatially, leveraging tools like Foundry, Gaia, Target Workbench, Maverick, and LogX. Service leaders expect MSS to enhance intelligence, targeting, and decision-making for joint fires integration and to support force development, generation, and sustainment.
This initiative is a key part of the Pentagon’s Combined Joint-All Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) strategy, which aims to better connect U.S. military and allied sensors, shooters, and data flows through a unified network. The Marine Corps’ Project Dynamis Cross-Functional Team (CFT) is charged with accelerating the delivery of a fully operational MSS capability, integrating it with other Marine Air-Ground Task Force Command and Control systems and wider joint force solutions. “The Project Dynamis Cross-Functional Team (CFT) will accelerate the delivery of a fully operational MSS capability at appropriate echelons that integrates with other [Marine Air-Ground Task Force] Command and Control systems and wider joint force solutions,” the MARADMIN message stated.
While the Marine Corps has not disclosed the dollar value of the new Palantir contract, the move underscores the company’s growing influence in defense technology. According to MarketBeat, Palantir is “quickly becoming the operating system of the U.S. government, including the Pentagon.” The company’s strength lies in its AI-powered data integration and analytics, which provide actionable insights for military and intelligence agencies.
Palantir’s momentum in the defense sector is further bolstered by its strategic partnerships, particularly with L3 Harris Technologies. In October 2024, the two firms announced an expanded alliance to accelerate the adoption of Palantir’s AI and data integration software in U.S. defense programs. This collaboration is not just a one-off contract; it’s a multi-pronged partnership that touches several high-priority defense initiatives.
One standout project is the U.S. Army’s Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node (TITAN) program. L3 Harris and Palantir are building 10 TITAN ground station prototypes to connect soldiers with data from high-altitude and space-based sensors, making real-time targeting and intelligence a battlefield reality. L3 Harris also leverages Palantir’s AIP platform internally to improve cost efficiency, supply chain visibility, and decision-making. The companies are pushing the envelope in advanced technology development, including edge computing, radios as sensors, and orbital processing on satellites.
Additionally, L3 Harris has invested $150 million in a new Fort Wayne, Indiana facility to produce Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) satellites. These satellites are part of a Pentagon effort to better detect and track hypersonic weapons and could play a role in the Trump administration’s Golden Dome project to expand defense sensor capabilities. By integrating Palantir’s software with L3 Harris hardware, the companies are creating mission-critical solutions that are difficult for competitors to replicate.
For investors, Palantir’s defense partnerships are a powerful growth engine. As of September 12, 2025, Palantir stock shows bullish technical indicators, with resistance levels around $170 to $175 and a price target of $200 according to some analysts. The company’s software-first approach and its ability to collaborate effectively with major defense players set it apart in a sector where long-term relationships and system interoperability are paramount.
Yet, the rapid adoption of AI in defense is not without controversy. On September 10, 2025, the Pentagon announced a partnership with xAI, Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, as part of four separate $200 million contracts with AI firms including Anthropic, Google, and OpenAI. The goal: to accelerate the department’s enterprise-wide adoption of cutting-edge AI and machine learning capabilities.
This particular contract has drawn fire from some corners of Washington. Senator Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., wrote a letter delivered the same day, raising national security concerns about the Pentagon’s xAI deal, specifically the integration of the controversial Grok chatbot. Warren’s letter cited “misinformation and offensive, antisemitic responses” from the product and requested the Pentagon chief to answer detailed questions about the contract’s scope, ethics, and accountability by September 24, 2025. “The department awarded a $200 million contract under questionable circumstances to incorporate an AI company with a product that provides misinformation and offensive, antisemitic responses into DOD’s operations,” Warren wrote, according to FedScoop.
The Pentagon’s Chief Digital and AI Office (CDAO) is coordinating these major AI partnerships, and the debate over the ethical and practical implications of AI in defense continues to simmer. As these technologies become more deeply embedded in the fabric of national security, questions about oversight, reliability, and accountability will only grow louder.
Meanwhile, leadership changes in the federal technology community signal a renewed focus on AI and emerging tech. Chris Kraft, previously Deputy Chief Technology Officer for AI and emerging tech at the Department of Homeland Security, is now serving as acting Chief Information Officer of the U.S. Secret Service, replacing Kevin Nally. Kraft’s appointment comes as the Secret Service faces serious technology challenges, including the need for advanced telemetry data and threat management systems—a need underscored by the assassination attempt on President Donald Trump in July 2024.
All told, the U.S. military’s current AI surge is reshaping not only how wars are fought, but also how the defense sector operates, invests, and governs itself. The stakes could not be higher, and the pace of change shows no sign of slowing.
