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

Mar 27, 2025

Atlantic Council Commission on Software-Defined Warfare: Final report

By Whitney M. McNamara, Peter Modigliani, Tate Nurkin

The Atlantic Council Commission on Software-Defined Warfare presents a software-defined warfare approach, offering recommendations for the DoD to adopt modern software practices and seamlessly integrate them into existing platforms to enhance and strengthen defense strategies.

Artificial Intelligence Defense Policy

Strategic Insights Memo

Mar 12, 2025

The hypersonic imperative

By Michael E. White

Hypersonic weapons and counter-hypersonic defenses will be essential for the United States to deter and, if necessary, prevail in a war against one or more great powers. This is why the Department of Defense and Congress must prioritize the accelerated fielding of these capabilities.

China Defense Industry
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Events

Register for upcoming events

Online Event Thu, May 1, 2025 • 10:00 am ET

Revitalizing US shipbuilding: Congress, industry, and the SHIPS for America Act
Defense Industry Defense Policy Defense Technologies Maritime Security

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

Apr 10, 2025

General Kevin P. Chilton in Air & Space Forces Magazine

By Atlantic Council

On April 4, Forward Defense distinguished fellow Kevin P. Chilton was featured in an Air & Space Forces article by Greg Hadley entitled, “Space Superiority Takes Center Stage.” Gen. Chilton is cited arguing for more “openness, saying there cannot be deterrent value in having offensive capabilities in space if the Space Force isn’t allowed to talk about […]

China Defense Policy

In the News

Mar 28, 2025

Air & Space Forces Magazine on the Commission on Software-Defined Warfare final report

By Atlantic Council

On March 28, Air & Space Forces Magazine published an article by Shaun Waterman titled, “Experts: US Military Needs ‘Software Literate’ Workforce, Not Just Coders.”

Artificial Intelligence Defense Industry

In the News

Mar 28, 2025

Chiang, Esper, and Fox published in DefenseNews and C4ISRNET on software-defined warfare

By Atlantic Council

On March 28, Mung Chiang, Mark Esper, and Christine Fox published an op-ed highlighting key ideas from the final report of Forward Defense’s Commission on Software-Defined Warfare.

Artificial Intelligence Defense Industry
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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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