About our work

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is facilitating the emergence of transformative dual-use and military technologies like artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and directed energy. However, technologies alone do not revolutionize warfare – they must be integrated into advanced capabilities designed to achieve specific military effects.

Forward Defense synthesizes technological developments, global and regional dynamics, and military and geostrategic imperatives to explore the trends, technologies, and concepts defining the future of warfare.

Latest analysis

Emerging technologies & advanced capabilities

May 25, 2022

Automating the fight: defense & national security in the age of the machine

As warfare is increasingly dictated by machines, critical questions around strategy, technology, and morality arise at every turn. But there’s one thing we know for sure: There’s no reversing the rise of autonomous systems.
Emerging technologies & advanced capabilities

Report May 25, 2022

Eye to eye in AI: Developing artificial intelligence for national security and defense

By Tate Nurkin, Margarita Konaev

As artificial intelligence transforms national security and defense, it is imperative for the Department of Defense, Congress, and the private sector to closely collaborate in order to advance major AI development priorities. However, key barriers remain. As China and Russia develop their own capabilities, the stakes of the military AI competition are high, and time is short.
Artificial Intelligence China
Emerging technologies & advanced capabilities

Report Nov 30, 2020

The Five Revolutions: Examining defense innovation in the Indo-Pacific region

By Tate Nurkin

The Indo-Pacific region has become a center of gravity for innovation in defense technologies and emerging military capabilities. This report explores major drivers of modernization and advances a new framework to capture defense technology and investment efforts in the region.
China Defense Industry
Emerging technologies & advanced capabilities

Report Aug 17, 2020

Primer on hypersonic weapons in the Indo-Pacific region

By John T. Watts, Christian Trotti, and Mark J. Massa

Hypersonic weapons are nearing maturation, but debates about their military relevance are often defined solely by technology. This primer situates hypersonic weapons within the regional context of the Indo-Pacific to provide a foundation for strategic analysis.
China Defense Industry

Content

Issue Brief

Jul 3, 2025

A US defense strategy to win the next conflict

By Clementine G. Starling-Daniels

Amid rising global tensions and rapid technological change, the forthcoming National Defense Strategy is set to reshape US military strategy. Its success hinges on five key priorities.

Defense Industry Defense Policy

Issue Brief

Jul 3, 2025

Homeland defense in an era of new strategic threats

By Clementine G. Starling-Daniels, Amy Cowley

From launching cyberattacks to targeting critical infrastructure, US rivals are bringing the fight closer to home. Defending against these threats will require not just military might, but smarter defense planning, greater resilience, and military modernization.

Defense Industry Defense Policy
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Events

Register for upcoming events

Public Event Thu, July 24, 2025 • 4:15 pm ET

SAIC CEO Toni Townes-Whitley on mission integration in the defense ecosystem

AN #ACFRONTPAGE EVENT—SAIC CEO Toni Townes-Whitley discusses the role of mission integrators in today’s defense industrial base and the future of the US defense ecosystem.

Defense Industry Defense Policy Defense Technologies Security & Defense

Watch past events

Online Event Wed, May 25, 2022 • 2:30 pm ET

The future of artificial intelligence in national security and defense
Artificial Intelligence China Defense Industry Defense Policy
Public Event Tue, May 17, 2022 • 8:45 am ET

NEXUS 22: A symposium at the intersection of defense, national security, and autonomy
China Defense Industry Defense Policy Defense Technologies
Online Event Tue, December 1, 2020 • 8:00 pm ET

The five revolutions: Examining defense innovation in the Indo-Pacific region
Australia China Conflict Defense Industry

Meet our experts

Fellow

Robert Bassett Cross MC

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Industry Defense Policy

Fellow

August Cole

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Industry Defense Policy

Fellow

Michael Groen

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Policy Defense Technologies

Fellow

Thomas X. Hammes

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Conflict Defense Industry

Fellow

Evanna Hu

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Extremism Defense Technologies

Former fellow

Margarita Konaev

Former Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Conflict Defense Technologies

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

Tate Nurkin

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Indo-Pacific Security Initiative

China Defense Industry

Fellow

Stephen Rodriguez

Senior Advisor

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Defense Policy Defense Technologies
John Watts

Fellow

John T. Watts

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Conflict Crisis Management

Fellow

Tyson Wetzel

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Europe & Eurasia Indo-Pacific

Staff

Alyxandra Marine

Associate Director

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Crisis Management Defense Policy

In the news

In the News

Jul 22, 2025

Stephen Rodriguez in War on the Rocks on the defense industrial paradigm

On July 22, Stephen Rodriguez, senior advisor at Forward Defense, published a piece in War on the Rocks entitled “Titans, Trailblazers, and Translators: Forging a Unified Defense Industrial Paradigm”. Rodriguez, working at the intersection of the defense industrial base and technologies, identifies a growing tension between the two. To address this challenge to enduring national […]

Defense Industry Defense Technologies

In the News

Jun 4, 2025

Stephen Rodriguez Joins AI+Expo Panel on Government Procurement Reform

On June 3, Stephen Rodriguez, Senior Advisor at Forward Defense and Director of the Commission on Software-Defined Warfare, joined a panel at the AI+Expo to discuss “Reindustrializing America via Government Procurement Reform.” He was joined by Eric Lofgren, Staff Member, U.S. House Armed Services Committee; Scott Friedman, Vice President of Government Affairs at Altana Technologies; […]

Artificial Intelligence Defense Industry

In the News

May 27, 2025

Soofer’s report, “Strengthening Deterrence with SLCM-N,” quoted in Asia Times article

By Atlantic Council

On May 13, Forward Defense senior fellow Robert Soofer was quoted in an Asia Times article titled, “US Navy wants sea-launched nuke missiles to hold China at bay.” The article cites his Atlantic Council issue brief, co-authored with John Harvey, “Strengthening Deterrence with SLCM-N.” The article references their argument that SLCM-N capabilities address “a US […]

China Defense Policy
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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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