About our work

The Department of Defense needs a clear roadmap to counter today’s myriad security challenges—from strategic competitors and regional aggressors to violent extremist organizations and climate change. Strategic thinking is essential in order to align priorities and ensure US and allied national security.

Forward Defense explores this issue set through frank review of current defense policy, cogent expert analysis of the present security environment, and actionable recommendations for strategy to meet future defense challenges.

Featured projects

Report

Jul 3, 2025

The National Defense Strategy Project

By Atlantic Council experts

As the world enters a pivotal new phase in global security, the United States must not only respond to current challenges but also anticipate those on the horizon. 

Artificial Intelligence Defense Policy

Scowcroft Center Military Fellows

The Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security’s Forward Defense practice is proud to host Military Fellows from participating branches of the US military and the armed forces of US allies and partners each year as part of a twelve-month fellowship program.

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Commanders Series

The Atlantic Council’s flagship speakers’ forum for senior military and defense leaders. The series provides a platform to discuss current strategic issues with an impressive audience drawn from across Washington’s policy community, including think tanks, media, industry, embassies, and the US government.

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Latest analysis

Featured reports

Defense strategy & policy

Issue Brief Feb 24, 2022

The next National Defense Strategy must get Russia right

By Clementine G. Starling-Daniels, Christian Trotti, Tyson Wetzel

The rapidly developing 2022 Russo-Ukrainian crisis raises a key question for US defense policy makers as they finalize the next National Defense Strategy (NDS): How can the NDS get Russia “right”? This issue brief seeks to answer this question by developing a US defense strategy for deterring and managing the Russian threat in Europe and beyond, building upon the authors’ 2021 report, “Seizing the Advantage: A Vision for the Next US National Defense Strategy.”
Conflict Crisis Management
Defense strategy & policy

Report Dec 22, 2021

Seizing the advantage: A vision for the next US national defense strategy

By Clementine G. Starling-Daniels, Tyson Wetzel, Christian Trotti

In this latest installment of the Atlantic Council Strategy Papers series, Forward Defense’s Clementine Starling, Lt Col Tyson Wetzel, and Christian Trotti articulate their vision and recommendations for the next US National Defense Strategy, including clearer prioritization, investments and divestments, reposturing of US forces, a new warfighting concept, and a focus on transnational threats like hybrid warfare and climate change.
China Defense Industry
Defense strategy & policy

Report Nov 25, 2023

Ten challenges to implementing Force Design 2030

By Bruce Stubbs

Bruce Stubbs points out key questions for the success of the US Marine Corps’s Force Design 2030.
China Defense Policy
Defense strategy & policy

Strategic Insights Memo Aug 5, 2021

A new strategy for US global defense posture

By Matthew Crouch, Barry Pavel, Clementine G. Starling, and Christian Trotti

This Policy Brief, produced by the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security’s Forward Defense team, recommends a novel strategy for US global force posture to strengthen deterrence and competitive leverage vis-à-vis China, Russia, and other challengers. It addresses multifaceted challenges abroad, allocates missions according to mobility and range, lays the foundation for emerging technologies, and facilitates robust cooperation with allies and partners.
Defense Policy Defense Technologies
Defense strategy & policy

Report Jun 8, 2021

Transformative priorities for national defense

By Franklin D. Kramer and Lt. Col. Matthew R. Crouch

Today, the United States faces multi-theater and multi-domain challenges different from any presented since World War II—and, in fact, ever. This report addresses these pivotal challenges by advancing key transformative priorities for an effective US national defense strategy, both in the “American theater” at home and in the forward theaters abroad.
China Defense Industry
Defense strategy & policy

Atlantic Council Strategy Paper Series Apr 11, 2021

The future of security in space: A thirty-year US strategy

By Clementine G. Starling, Mark J. Massa, Lt Col Christopher P. Mulder, and Julia T. Siegel

Outer space is rapidly transforming as new actors test new limits. This Atlantic Council Strategy Paper calls for the United States and its allies and partners to secure space over the next three decades or risk wasting the promise of this emerging domain.
China Cybersecurity

Content

New Atlanticist

Sep 19, 2025

Three things to note in the UK’s new Defence Industrial Strategy

By Deborah Cheverton

“Defence is an Engine for Growth,” according to an important new British military strategy published on September 8.

Defense Industry Defense Policy

Issue Brief

Aug 21, 2025

Addressing China’s military expansion in West Africa and beyond

By Tressa Guenov

As China expands its military reach in West Africa, the United States risks losing strategic ground on the continent. The next National Defense Strategy must confront China’s ambitions beyond the Indo-Pacific, balancing defense diplomacy, bilateral military relationships, and counterterrorism.

Africa China

Issue Brief

Aug 21, 2025

Winning through people: The human capital advantage in great-power competition

By Beth Foster and Alex Wagner

To maintain military readiness, deter conflict, and preserve its technological edge, the United States must prioritize human capital by investing in resilient service members and a skilled civilian workforce.

Defense Policy Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

Issue Brief

Aug 19, 2025

A vision for US hypersonic weapons

By Edward Brady and Michael E. White

Hypersonic weapons, if fielded in sufficient numbers to defeat critical targets necessary to degrade adversary capabilities, will enable effective use of traditional weapon systems and allow for future battlefield dominance. A layered defeat construct must be deployed to defend against ballistic and hypersonic missiles targeting US assets.

China Defense Industry

Issue Brief

Jul 24, 2025

Rethinking combined arms for modern warfare

By Edward Brady

To conduct all-domain operations, modern warfare requires a new approach to combined arms. The US military should reassess the future composition of its forces, integrating high-end manned platforms with low-end, attritable vehicles.

Defense Industry Defense Policy
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Events

Register for upcoming events

Watch past events

Public Event Wed, October 16, 2024 • 8:00 am ET

A conversation with Admiral Lisa Franchetti on the Navy’s 2024 Navigation Plan
Defense Policy Maritime Security
Public Event Wed, May 22, 2024 • 10:50 am ET

General CQ Brown, Jr. on how US forces are readying for new global threats

An #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT—General CQ Brown, Jr., Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, discusses the challenges the joint force faces today and what to expect in the years ahead.
Conflict Crisis Management Defense Policy National Security
Public Event Thu, April 18, 2024 • 3:30 pm ET

A conversation with General Jim Hockenhull on an innovative UK Strategic Command
Defense Policy Defense Technologies Technology & Innovation United Kingdom
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Meet our experts

Staff

Matthew Kroenig

Vice President and Senior Director, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

China Defense Policy

Fellow

Clementine G. Starling-Daniels

Nonresident senior fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Security & Defense NATO

Advisory Council member

Arnold Punaro

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Industry Defense Policy

Fellow

Barry Pavel

Distinguished Fellow

Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Policy Defense Technologies

Former fellow

Robert Soofer

Former Senior Fellow

Forward Defense

Arms Control Defense Policy

Fellow

Elliot Ackerman

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Afghanistan Defense Policy

Fellow

Thomas X. Hammes

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Conflict Defense Industry

Fellow

Rob Murray

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Industry Defense Policy

Fellow

Magnus Nordenman

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Industry Defense Policy

Fellow

Patrick O’Reilly

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Policy Drones

Fellow

Kaley Scholl

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

China Defense Policy

Fellow

Thomas S. Warrick

Nonresident Senior Fellow, Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Adrienne Arsht National Security Resilience Initiative GeoStrategy Initiative

National Security Terrorism

Fellow

Peter Watkins

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Policy Defense Technologies

Fellow

Irina Plaks

Nonresident Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Industry Defense Policy

Staff

Mark J. Massa

Deputy Director

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Policy National Security

Staff

Alyxandra Marine

Associate Director

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Crisis Management Defense Policy

Former staff

Delharty Manson

Former Program Assistant

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Industry Defense Policy

In the news

In the News

Jan 30, 2025

Punaro mentioned in 1945 on the US all-volunteer force

By Atlantic Council

On January 30th, Arnold Punaro, non-resident senior fellow at Forward Defense, was mentioned in a 1945 article on the US all-volunteer force.

Defense Policy Security & Defense

In the News

Jan 29, 2025

Soofer’s report ‘First, we will defend the homeland’ featured in Newsweek article on Trump’s ‘Iron Dome’

By Atlantic Council

On January 28, Forward Defense senior fellow Robert Soofer was quoted in a Newsweek article titled “Donald Trump’s Iron Dome Over US: What We Know.” The article features his recent Atlantic Council report, “‘First, we will defend the homeland’: The case for homeland missile defense,” where he critiques existing defense systems and outlines the challenges […]

China Defense Policy

In the News

Jan 29, 2025

Soofer cited in New York Times article on Trump’s ‘Iron Dome’ Executive Order

By Atlantic Council

On January 28, Forward Defense senior fellow Robert Soofer was cited in a New York Times article entitled, “Trump Orders an ‘Iron Dome’-Style Defense System. Experts Are Skeptical.” The article quotes Soofer’s recent report, “‘First, we will defend the homeland’: The case for homeland missile defense” on how the “current approach to homeland missile defense […]

China Defense Policy

In the News

Jan 28, 2025

Geurts testifies at the Senate Committee on Armed Services hearing on defense innovation and acquisition reform

By Atlantic Council

On January 28, Hondo Geurts, Commissioner on Forward Defense’s Commision on Software-Defined Warfare, testified to the Senate Committee on Armed Services Hearing on defense innovation and acquisition reform.

Defense Industry Defense Policy

In the News

Jan 22, 2025

New Atlantic Council report on special operations forces featured in Business Insider

On January 15, Business Insider released an article that covered the findings of a new Atlantic Council report on how to best utilize special operation forces over the next decade. The report The next decade of strategic competition: How the Pentagon can use special operations forces to better compete, authored by Clementine Starling-Daniels, Director at […]

Defense Policy Security & Defense
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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.

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