WASHINGTON, DC — January 12, 2026 — The Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security announced today that Joseph Costa has been named director of Forward Defense.

Costa served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for plans and posture, where he was the principal civilian advisor to Department of Defense leadership on war planning and overseas force posture. While at the Pentagon, he also advised on readiness issues and served as acting principal director for Middle East policy.

Prior to government service, Costa was a vice president at The Cohen Group, where he advised senior defense and technology executives on global strategy, and a national security researcher at Harvard’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.

“The United States and its allies and partners face the most complex security landscape in generations—one defined by great-power competition across every domain and rapidly evolving technologies that are transforming modern warfare,” Costa said. “Forward Defense sets the standard in strategic thinking, providing actionable insights to the US government, allies, and the private sector that shape national security policy. Its work has never been more critical.”

“We are thrilled to have Joe lead our Forward Defense program,” said Matthew Kroenig, vice president at the Atlantic Council and senior director of its Scowcroft Center. “His experience on defense strategy, policy, and posture; defense industry; emerging defense technology; nuclear deterrence; and much more complement the existing programming of Forward Defense. We are confident that his leadership will bring our defense work to new heights.” 

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. The Scowcroft Center honors the legacy of service of General Brent Scowcroft and embodies his ethos of nonpartisan commitment to the cause of security, support for US leadership in cooperation with allies and partners, and dedication to the mentorship of the next generation of leaders. 

Within the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, Forward Defense develops actionable defense strategies for the United States and its allies and partners by focusing on force design, deterrence, advanced technologies, space security, and industrial revitalization to address the evolving character of warfare and major-power conflict. 

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