Source: Fortune
Summary
Palmer Luckey, founder of defense-tech startup Anduril, says he would sell weapons to North Korea if the US asks him to. Anduril is set to receive a $60 billion valuation and is riding a record surge in global defense spending. The company is selling autonomous systems to US partners, including Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. Luckey’s position is that arms makers should function as extensions of US government policy, which puts him at the center of debates about alliance politics in Asia and the rise of Chinese military hardware.
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The numbers tell one story. Anduril’s valuation is set to double to $60 billion, with the company projecting $4.3 billion in revenue this year. Luckey’s comments on selling arms to North Korea if the US asks him to raises questions about the relationship between US defense companies and the government. The company’s growth is also tied to the rise of Chinese military hardware, with Luckey noting that China has “gotten its shit together” in terms of developing hypersonic missiles and other forms of asymmetric warfare.
Anduril is positioning itself as a key player in the US defense industry, with Luckey emphasizing the importance of industrial scale in deciding future conflicts. However, the company’s close ties to the US government also raise questions about the role of tech companies in shaping US foreign policy.
Luckey’s views on how tech should work with the government are increasingly common in Silicon Valley, but there are still tensions between the US tech sector and the Trump administration.
The strategy enters a familiar phase.
As Anduril grows, Luckey’s comments on selling arms to North Korea if the US asks him to raises questions about the relationship between US defense companies and the government.
Luckey’s position is that arms makers should function as extensions of US government policy.
Palmer Luckey is clear when asked whether he would sell weapons to North Korea: “If the U.S. asks me to, yes.”
