US Military Formally Adds Palantir’s Maven AI System to Long-Term Program

The US Department of Defense launched Project Maven in 2017 to use AI to analyze battlefield data from satellites, drones and radar. Palantir later developed the Maven Smart System, which integrates intelligence across military branches, target identification, and command and control. It is now deployed across US combatant commands and has become key digital infrastructure for joint operations.

Deputy Secretary of Defense Steve Feinberg issued an internal memo on March 9, 2026, directing that MSS be formally designated a “program of record” by the end of September, bringing it into long-term budgeting and procurement processes. The US military initially signed a five-year, $480 million contract in May 2024, then raised its ceiling to about $1.3 billion in May 2025.