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

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

Strategic Insights Memo

Aug 14, 2025

A marketplace for mission-ready AI: Accelerating capability delivery to the Pentagon

By Jack Long, Bharat C. Patel, and Jags Kandasamy

The Department of Defense’s traditional AI procurement often delivers models that quickly become outdated. This memo proposes creating a performance-driven AI model marketplace—where vendors train models on a shared “data lake” and are paid only for real-world usage—ensuring faster delivery, continuous innovation, and mission-ready capabilities at scale.

Artificial Intelligence Defense Industry
Load More

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

Former 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

Mar 13, 2025

Soofer interviewed on War on the Rocks podcast about Trump’s ‘Iron Dome’

By Atlantic Council

On March 12, Forward Defense senior fellow Robert Soofer was interviewed by Ankit Panda, host of the “Thinking the Unthinkable” podcast on War on the Rocks. The episode discussed the Trump administration’s plan for an American “Iron Dome” and the questions it raises for US missile defense and the strategic vulnerability in the United States today.

China Defense Policy

In the News

Mar 11, 2025

Soofer quoted at National Institute for Public Policy symposium on nuclear and missile defense policy

By Atlantic Council

On November 20, 2024, Forward Defense senior fellow Robert Soofer gave remarks at a symposium on “Nuclear and Missile Defense Policy in the Second Trump Administration: What to Expect and What Should be Done” hosted by the National Institute for Public Policy. In the published notes from the symposium, Soofer was quoted on the unique […]

China Defense Policy

In the News

Mar 11, 2025

Chilton interviewed about the “Golden Dome” on Aerospace Advantage Podcast

By Atlantic Council

On March 8, Forward Defense distinguished fellow Kevin P. Chilton was interviewed on The Aerospace Advantage podcast by The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. In the episode, Chilton spoke on the realities of the “Golden Dome,” saying, “I’m 100 percent for it for the United States of America but I would say first things first. […]

China Defense Policy
Load More

Subscribe

Sign up for updates from Forward Defense to hear the latest on the trends, technologies, and military challenges shaping tomorrow.



  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

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.

Learn more