On May 23, Forward Defense Deputy Director for Strategic Forces Policy Mark Massa was quoted in Forbes about the potential for Russia to station a nuclear ASAT in orbit. Massa was paraphrased as saying that a nuclear detonation in low-Earth orbit would damage thousands of civilian satellites from a diverse group of nations.

Forward Defense leads the Atlantic Council’s US and global defense programming, developing actionable recommendations for the United States and its allies and partners to compete, innovate, and navigate the rapidly evolving character of warfare. Through its work on US defense policy and force design, the military applications of advanced technology, space security, strategic deterrence, and defense industrial revitalization, it informs the strategies, policies, and capabilities that the United States will need to deter, and, if necessary, prevail in major-power conflict.