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Forget Space, Billionaire Bets on Earth's Crust
5 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Palmer Luckey believes underground will define future warfare.
- Submarine-like vehicles maneuvering through Earth's crust.
- He claims to have built working prototypes of the technology.
Palmer Luckey, founder of defense technology company Anduril, has put forth a bold prediction that the future of national defense will be defined by subterranean operations, challenging the prevailing focus on space.
He explained that vehicles capable of maneuvering within the Earth's crust, similar to submarines in water, would offer unparalleled advantages in signature management and access. Luckey asserted that while few agree with him, he has already developed working prototypes, suggesting a tangible basis for his claims.
This vision echoes some real-world interest, including DARPA's Subterranean Challenge and Israel's intense focus on underground tunnel warfare. Luckey's perspective contrasts with Elon Musk's The Boring Company, which aims for transportation, not military applications, highlighting a growing, albeit niche, interest in subterranean domains.
