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.

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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

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Featured reports

Content

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

Issue Brief

Jul 24, 2025

Five pillars for deterring strategic attacks

By Mark J. Massa, Alyxandra Marine

As its highest priority, the Department of Defense must deter strategic attacks on the United States. A five-pillar strategy could guide efforts to prevent nuclear and nonnuclear threats while ensuring resilience and readiness against large-scale nuclear attacks on the US homeland.

Defense Policy Defense Technologies

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In the news

In the News

Feb 25, 2025

Eftimiades interviewed by NTD on Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence

By Atlantic Council

On February 17, Forward Defense nonresident senior fellow Nicholas Eftimiades was interviewed on NTD Evening News on the confirmation of Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence. In the interview, Eftimiades spoke to Gabbard’s national security priorities and understanding of strategic threats to the United States today.

China Defense Policy

In the News

Feb 13, 2025

Soofer interviewed for USA Today article on Trump’s ‘Iron Dome’

By Atlantic Council

On February 11, Forward Defense senior fellow Robert Soofer was interviewed for a USA Today article entitled, “Will Trump’s ‘Iron Dome’ missile defense make Americans safer? It’s complicated.” The article quotes Soofer’s response to Trump’s executive order, citing his claim that it is “even more bold, I would suggest, than Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative.”

China Defense Policy

In the News

Feb 13, 2025

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

By Atlantic Council

On January 29, Forward Defense senior fellow Robert Soofer was quoted in a SPIEGEL article with the translated title, “That’s why Trump wants an American Iron Dome.” The article cites his recent Atlantic Council report, “‘First, we will defend the homeland’: The case for homeland missile defense,” where he warns of the threat to US territory from missiles.

China Defense Policy

In the News

Feb 6, 2025

Soofer quoted in Matthew Kroenig’s Foreign Policy article arguing for an ‘Iron Dome’

By Atlantic Council

On February 5, Forward Defense senior fellow Robert Soofer was quoted in a Foreign Policy article by Matthew Kroenig, Vice President and Senior Director of the Scowcroft Center. The argument piece was titled, “The United States Needs an Iron Dome.” Kroenig quotes Soofer’s recent report, “‘First, we will defend the homeland’: The case for homeland […]

China Defense Policy

In the News

Feb 6, 2025

T.X. Hammes proposes containerized weapons for US Navy merchant fleet in US Naval Institute Proceedings

On February 3, T.X. Hammes, a nonresident senior fellow at Forward Defense, wrote with Captain R. Robinson Harris, US Navy (ret.) in the US Naval Institute’s Proceedings, that deploying containerized weapons on merchant ships would bolster the US Navy’s capacity to manage the growing threat from China.

China Conflict

Forward Defense, housed within the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, generates ideas and connects stakeholders in the defense ecosystem to promote an enduring military advantage for the United States, its allies, and partners. Our work identifies the defense strategies, capabilities, and resources the United States needs to deter and, if necessary, prevail in future conflict.

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