Commission headed by leaders across government, industry, and academia to design a blueprint for nation-wide defense industrial mobilization 

WASHINGTON, DC – November 18, 2025 — The Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security and its Forward Defense program announced today the launch of the ReForge Commission. 

Building on the legacy of the “Freedom’s Forge” mobilization during World War II, the Commission will assess the defense production demands of modern warfare and develop a roadmap to transform US defense-industrial capabilities and the broader industrial base to deter conflict and, if necessary, prevail in a sustained conflict that tests US resilience. 

Co-chaired by Kathleen Hicks, 35th US deputy secretary of defense, and William “Mac” Thornberry, former chair of the House Armed Services Committee and congressman from Texas, the Commission unites a bipartisan group of senior leaders to generate insights and actionable recommendations that can ensure that US industry can increase production capacity and deliver wartime surge capacity for warfighters. 

Hicks noted that the ReForge Commission launches “at an opportune moment of bipartisan momentum,” emphasizing that this is precisely the kind of cooperation needed to rebuild America’s capacity for industrial preparedness. She added that with the “unique breadth of experience” brought by the Commissioners—from national security to private industry—the Commission is positioned to help drive generational change for American defense and resilience. 

Thornberry underscored the urgency of the task, stressing that “we have near-universal agreement that our current approach to providing for our warfighters is inadequate for today’s threats.” While acknowledging that both Congress and the Department of Defense have taken steps to address the issue, he argued that “more needs to be done” to move beyond analysis toward a tangible, actionable blueprint. “Our goal is to ensure that the defense industrial base truly meets the needs of the warfighter and secures the nation,” Thornberry said, calling ReForge a rare opportunity for bipartisan leadership to make that vision real. 

The ReForge Commission will explore how the United States and its partners can: 

  • mobilize for a potential two-theater war and bolster surge capacity;
  • invest in advanced manufacturing, critical stockpiles, and digital industrial systems; and
  • Incentivize private industry to prepare for sustained conflict scenarios.

Managed by Commission Director Stephen Rodriguez, the Commission will convene for the first time on Tuesday, November 18. 

The Commission’s world-class leaders will include former senior government officials, senior private-sector executives, major private equity investors, and subject-matter experts in manufacturing, advanced technologies, and global supply chains: 

Commissioners 

  • Lael Brainard, former National Economic Advisor and Chair of the National Economic Council
  • James “Hoss” Cartwright, former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
  • Walter Copan, former Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology
  • Melissa Dalton, former Under Secretary of the Air Force
  • Alan Estevez, former Under Secretary of Commerce, Bureau of Industry & Security
  • Frank Finelli, Senior Advisor, Carlyle Group
  • Michael Gilday, Former Chief of Naval Operations
  • Paul Kwan, Managing Director, General Catalyst
  • Steve Lyons, former Commander of the US Transportation Command
  • Nadia Schadlow, former Deputy National Security Advisor
  • Jon Tester, former Senator of Montana

Industry Commissioners 

  • Jason Brown, General Manager for Defense, Applied Intuition
  • Scott Cooper, Vice President, Government Relations, Peraton
  • Megan Dake, Vice President of Contracts and Estimating, Lockheed Martin
  • Alex Daly, National Security Lead, PTC
  • Troy Demmer, Co-Founder and President, Gecko Robotics
  • Steve Escaravage, President, Defense Technology Group, Booz Allen Hamilton
  • Hank Holland, Chairman and CEO, Amaero Ltd
  • Rob Lehman, Co-Founder and CCO, Saronic
  • Sean Moriarty, Chief Executive Officer, Primer AI
  • Nathan Parker, Chief Executive Officer, Edge Case Research
  • Garrett Smith, Founder and CEO, Reveal Technology
  • Vince Stametti, Executive Vice President and COO, Blue Forge Alliance

The ReForge Commission’s work builds on the success of the Atlantic Council’s previous Commissions on Defense Innovation Adoption and Commission on Software-Defined Warfare. The Forward Defense team members supporting this Commission include Deputy Director Mark Massa, Assistant Director Maeve Cuddy, and Program Assistant Curtis Lee. 
 

This effort is supported by foundational partners Amaero and Blue Forge Alliance, as well as partners Applied Intuition, Booz Allen Hamilton, Edge Case Research, Gecko Robotics, Lockheed Martin, Peraton, Primer AI, PTC, Reveal Tech, and Saronic. 

To learn more about the Commission, visit the website. To follow its progress and receive updates, subscribe to Forward Defense. For press inquiries, please contact press@atlanticcouncil.org.