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

Report

Jan 4, 2025

‘First, we will defend the homeland’: The case for homeland missile defense

By Robert Soofer with contributions from Kari Anderson, James McCue, Tom Karako, Mark J. Massa, Alyxandra Marine, and Jonathan Rosenstein

A comprehensive analysis of U.S. homeland missile defense, addressing policies, security challenges, and strategies to counter threats from North Korea, China, and Russia.

China Defense Technologies

Experts react

Sep 18, 2024

Experts react: What’s behind the Hezbollah beeper and walkie-talkie explosions

By Atlantic Council experts

Our experts explain what the explosions of communication devices in Lebanon could mean for the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

Conflict Defense Technologies
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Events

Register for upcoming events

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

Assistant Director

Forward Defense Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security

Crisis Management Defense Policy

In the news

In the News

Jan 13, 2025

Rodriguez featured in War on the Rocks on returns for defense tech limited partners

By Atlantic Council

On January 8, Stephen Rodriguez, senior advisor at Forward Defense, provided commentary in a War on the Rocks piece entitled “In Brief: How Long Until Defense Tech Limited Partners See Returns?” Rodriguez offered that, “until major primes or service providers start acquiring venture capital fund portfolios, especially at enterprise values of $250 million or more, […]

Defense Industry Defense Technologies

In the News

Jan 8, 2025

Nurkin co-authors report on China’s remote sensing

By Atlantic Council

On December 16, the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission released a report on China’s remote sensing capabilities, on which Forward Defense senior fellow Tate Nurkin was a supporting author. This report details rapid development of mature remote sensing capabilities in pursuit of its economic and societal development, national security and geopolitical interests, and military […]

China Defense Technologies

In the News

Nov 25, 2024

Michael Groen writes an op-ed about securing AI labs in Real Clear Defense

By Michael Groen

On November 21, Michael Groen, non-resident senior fellow at Forward Defense, authored an op-ed for Real Clear Defense arguing that the United States must focus on securing AI laboratories to protect its razor-thin advantage in the AI race with China. In his words, to address threats from China’s cyber-espionage and intellectual property theft, “the U.S. government, academia, […]

Artificial Intelligence Defense Technologies
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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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