Security & Defense

Security & Defense

One of the most fundamental responsibilities of governments is to protect their citizens from all threats, internal or foreign. Policy makers must prepare for potential conventional warfare, terrorism and other asymmetrical attacks, and the repercussions of natural disasters and climate change to ensure the safety of their citizens. The motivation to protect against future threats must also be partnered with regular dialogue and partnership with allies and neighbors to prevent the triggering of violent conflict or destabilizing arms races.

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Ukrainian drone strikes highlight the vulnerability of Russia’s data centers

Report Sep 8, 2026

Preparing for and countering limited nuclear attacks in East Asia: Guardian Tiger III

By Markus Garlauskas with John Park and Kyoko Imai. Contributors: Andrew Brown and Jonathan Corrado

The risk of North Korea launching a limited nuclear attack will likely increase over the coming decade. The United States and its allies are not preparing adequately to deter and prevail in the face of such nuclear strikes.
Indo-Pacific Korea
Ukrainian drone strikes highlight the vulnerability of Russia’s data centers

Dispatches Sep 1, 2026

Where and how Putin could expand his war in Europe beyond Ukraine

By Atlantic Council experts

The CIA director’s recent unannounced visit to Moscow has raised speculation about Russian plans to escalate attacks.
Conflict Eastern Europe
Ukrainian drone strikes highlight the vulnerability of Russia’s data centers

Report Aug 27, 2026

AI and autonomy in contested operations

By Owen J. Daniels

Any potential major conflict the United States engages in will be shaped by AI and autonomous systems. US forces should expect their systems to operate in denied, degraded, intermittent, and limited (DDIL) conditions imposed by jamming techniques, cyber-attacks, and anti-satellite capabilities designed to sever the connectivity and wreak havoc on military operations.
Artificial Intelligence Defense Policy

Programs

The Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security works to develop sustainable, nonpartisan strategies to address the most important security challenges facing the United States and the world.

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Content

UkraineAlert

Oct 16, 2026

Ukrainian drone strikes highlight the vulnerability of Russia’s data centers

By Leonid Baratz

The idea of Ukrainian drones silencing Kremlin bots clearly caught the world’s imagination, but the real story behind Ukraine’s recent drone strikes on Russia’s mega data centers is one of strategic vulnerability, writes Leonid Baratz.

Conflict Defense Policy

MENASource

Oct 16, 2026

Iraq’s militias are adjusting for a new era, not going away

By Hamdi Malik

While signaling restraint, the militias are carving room to consolidate their position and shape the terms of Iraq’s next security order.

Conflict Crisis Management

Issue Brief

Oct 15, 2026

Measuring Europe’s rearmament: A year of the Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030

By Eva Mulholland, Aurélie Vittot

One year since the EU debuted its "Defence Readiness Roadmap," with forty-five milestones Europe must meet to take responsibility for its own defense by 2030, is the EU on track?

Defense Policy Europe

UkraineAlert

Oct 15, 2026

Russia’s Starlink substitute poses a security threat far beyond Ukraine

By Joshua Stein

The Kremlin is currently in the process of deploying a satellite communications network known as Rassvet, creating concerns for the Russian invasion of Ukraine and for the wider international security environment, writes Joshua Stein.

China Conflict

UkraineAlert

Oct 15, 2026

Ukraine reports more battlefield gains as Putin’s invasion loses momentum

By David Kirichenko

Kyiv has reported further battlefield gains this week as the country’s Operation Vivaldi counteroffensive in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region continues to advance, writes David Kirichenko.

Conflict Defense Policy

Issue Brief

Oct 15, 2026

Toplines: Twenty-five years after anthrax, the US still is not prepared for a biological attack

By Robert Bradley, John T. O’Brien

The anthrax events of 2001 transpired twenty-five years ago. The US still needs better preparation against biological attacks.

National Security

Dispatches

Oct 14, 2026

Dispatch from Moldova: How to restore NATO’s deterrence against Russia’s escalating drone attacks

By Ian Brzezinski

Restoring deterrence will require a course correction in the West’s approach to Russia's escalating drone attacks.

Eastern Europe Moldova

Dispatches

Oct 14, 2026

Dispatch from the Gulf: Kuwait still wants Washington but is preparing for less

By Jonathan Panikoff

By sheer number of strikes, no country in the Gulf has been hit harder by Iran than the United Arab Emirates. But by exposure and impact, Kuwait may be at the greatest risk.

Middle East Security & Defense

UkraineAlert

Oct 13, 2026

Putin snubs Trump’s ceasefire as Russia aims to make Ukraine unlivable

By Maksym Beznosiuk, William Dixon

Hours after US President Donald Trump’s surprise Sunday announcement of an energy ceasefire between Kyiv and Moscow, Russia responded by bombing a series of Ukrainian power plants, write Maksym Beznosiuk and William Dixon.

Conflict Drones

Issue Brief

Oct 9, 2026

Enabling NATO’s technological transformation

By David Julazadeh

NATO faces persistent challenges in translating technological potential into operational capability. Recent analysis of NATO innovation efforts suggests that the limiting factor is often the ability of organizations and operators to adopt, experiment with, and implement new capabilities effectively.

Defense Industry Defense Technologies
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Experts

Fellow

Nolan Peterson

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Eurasia Center

Conflict Defense Technologies

Fellow

Matt Petit

Nonresident Senior Fellow

GeoTech Center

Economy & Business English

Fellow

C. Anthony Pfaff

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Iraq Initiative Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Arabic English
David Phillips, nonresident fellow, Indo-Pacific Security Initiative

Fellow

David Phillips

Nonresident Fellow

Indo-Pacific Security Initiative Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Australia East Asia

Fellow

Keith Phillips

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Crisis Management Defense Industry

Staff

Emilia Pierce

Deputy Director, Operations and Finance

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Civil Society Conflict
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Events

Online Event Mon, October 19, 2026 • 3:30 pm ET

Russia’s bioweapons legacy and the plague scare
Defense Technologies Europe & Eurasia International Norms National Security
Online Event Tue, October 20, 2026 • 1:00 pm ET

Trump’s Russia deal and the stakes for Ukraine
Europe & Eurasia Geopolitics & Energy Security Politics & Diplomacy Russia
Online Event Thu, October 29, 2026 • 8:00 am ET

Building collective cognitive resilience: A cross-strait and beyond seminar
Artificial Intelligence Disinformation Indo-Pacific Japan
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