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

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

New Atlanticist

Jul 25, 2025

SAIC CEO Toni Townes-Whitley on the ‘ecosystem of capabilities’ needed to win today’s wars

By Katherine Golden

The United States needs to “leverage all that this country creates in the war fight,” Townes-Whitley said at an Atlantic Council Front Page event.

Conflict Defense Industry
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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

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

Sep 18, 2025

Cole discusses the role of fictional intelligence and technological prediction with War on the Rocks

On September 17, August Cole, a nonresident fellow at Forward Defense, and P.W. Singer were interviewed by War on the Rocks, reflecting on the technological predictions of their 2015 book Ghost Fleet. They highlighted the use of fictional writing for exploring future military and technological scenarios.

Conflict Defense Technologies

In the News

Aug 27, 2025

Hammer featured in the Albuquerque Journal on quantum technology

By Atlantic Council

On August 25, Forward Defense nonresident senior fellow Adam Hammer authored an article in the Albuquerque Journal, titled “A New Day for Quantum in New Mexico,” celebrating recent momentum in the state’s quantum sector.

Defense Industry Defense Technologies

In the News

Aug 22, 2025

Daniels discusses China’s AI strategy on the China Power Podcast

By Atlantic Council

On August 19, Forward Defense nonresident senior fellow Owen Daniels was featured on Episode 108 of the German Marshal Fund’s China Power Podcast.

Artificial Intelligence China
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Forward Defense leads the Atlantic Council’s US and global defense programming, developing actionable recommendations for the United States and its allies and partners to compete, innovate, and navigate the rapidly evolving character of warfare. Through its work on US defense policy and force design, the military applications of advanced technology, space security, strategic deterrence, and defense industrial revitalization, it informs the strategies, policies, and capabilities that the United States will need to deter, and, if necessary, prevail in major-power conflict.

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