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Forward Defense in-depth analysis

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
Forward Defense in-depth analysis

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
Forward Defense in-depth analysis

Report Jan 14, 2025

The next decade of strategic competition: How the Pentagon can use special operations forces to better compete

By Clementine G. Starling-Daniels, Theresa Luetkefend

Clementine G. Starling and Theresa Luetkefend discuss how the Department of Defense and Joint force should more effectively leverage Special Operations forces in strategic competition.
Africa China

All in-depth research & reports

Force Posture

Strategic Insights Memo

Aug 5, 2021

A new strategy for US global defense posture

By Matthew Crouch, Barry Pavel, Clementine G. Starling, and Christian Trotti

This Policy Brief, produced by the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security’s Forward Defense team, recommends a novel strategy for US global force posture to strengthen deterrence and competitive leverage vis-à-vis China, Russia, and other challengers. It addresses multifaceted challenges abroad, allocates missions according to mobility and range, lays the foundation for emerging technologies, and facilitates robust cooperation with allies and partners.

Defense Policy Defense Technologies

Issue Brief

Jul 28, 2021

The security of defense trade with allies: Enhancing contact, contracts, and control in supply chains

By James Hasik

The COVID-19 pandemic and a wave of “Buy American” policies have cast doubt on the ability of foreign suppliers to provide crucial defense goods and services to the US Department of Defense in times of crisis or conflict. Forward Defense Nonresident Senior Fellow James Hasik recommends the expansion of security of supply agreements (among other measures) to fully leverage the defense-industrial bases of US allies and partners and best support US security priorities.

Defense Industry Defense Policy
data, EU, travel

Issue Brief

Jul 1, 2021

Avoiding the next transatlantic security crisis: The looming clash over passenger name record data

By Kenneth Propp

The transfer of PNR—personal data of air travelers including names, addresses, telephone numbers, credit card information, even meal preferences and details that can indicate ethnicity, religious belief, or political affiliation—on international flights has become a common practice world-wide since the September 11th attacks.

Digital Policy European Union

Issue Brief

Jun 16, 2021

Are dual-capable weapon systems destabilizing? Questioning nuclear-conventional entanglement and inadvertent escalation

By Matthew Kroenig, Mark J. Massa

Some fear that nuclear-conventional entanglement–the use of the same weapons or sensors for nuclear and conventional weapons–could lead to nuclear war. Are they right? This issue brief argues that fears of entanglement leading to nuclear war are misplaced and rest on poor logical and empirical foundations.

China Conflict

Report

Jun 8, 2021

Transformative priorities for national defense

By Franklin D. Kramer and Lt. Col. Matthew R. Crouch

Today, the United States faces multi-theater and multi-domain challenges different from any presented since World War II—and, in fact, ever. This report addresses these pivotal challenges by advancing key transformative priorities for an effective US national defense strategy, both in the “American theater” at home and in the forward theaters abroad.

China Defense Industry

Issue briefs and reports

May 18, 2021

Domestic violent extremism and the intelligence challenge

By Mitchell D. Silber

Mitchell Silber presents recommendations to improve the effectiveness of the post-9/11 intelligence architecture against the domestic violent-extremist threat, including a more robust collection of social media content.

Americas Intelligence
Cover credit: Helen Lundeberg, “The Veil,” 1947, The Macfarlane Collection

Atlantic Council Strategy Paper Series

Apr 11, 2021

The future of security in space: A thirty-year US strategy

By Clementine G. Starling, Mark J. Massa, Lt Col Christopher P. Mulder, and Julia T. Siegel

Outer space is rapidly transforming as new actors test new limits. This Atlantic Council Strategy Paper calls for the United States and its allies and partners to secure space over the next three decades or risk wasting the promise of this emerging domain.

China Cybersecurity

Issue Brief

Mar 29, 2021

The downsides of downsizing: Why the United States needs four hundred ICBMs

By Matthew Kroenig, Mark J. Massa, Christian Trotti

The United States is at a nuclear modernization crossroads. Critics of the land leg of the nuclear triad believe that an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) force of 300 missiles will be cheaper and more stable than a force of 400. This issue brief shows that 400 ICBMs support the goals of US nuclear deterrence and are affordable.

China Defense Policy

Issue Brief

Feb 4, 2021

Toward trilateral arms control: Options for bringing China into the fold

By Matthew Kroenig, Mark J. Massa

The Cold War-era paradigm of bilateral arms control between the United States and Russia is becoming increasingly untenable. Including a rising China with a growing nuclear arsenal is essential. This issue brief shows the way forward with options for bringing China into the nuclear arms control fold on a trilateral basis with the United States and Russia.

Arms Control China

Issue Brief

Dec 29, 2020

The Future of DHS Project: Key Findings and Recommendations: Congressional Oversight

By Thomas Warrick & Mark J. Massa

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is overseen by more than ninety committees and subcommittees–an oversight burden far greater than any other cabinet department. This issue brief proposes that Congress streamline its oversight of DHS to increase its effectiveness as a department with national security responsibilities.

Defense Policy Infrastructure Protection

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

Report

Nov 22, 2020

Unexpected competition: A US strategy to keep its Central and Eastern European allies as allies in an era of great-power competition

By John Blocher

As China and Russia make inroads with traditional US allies in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), the United States is faced with unexpected competition. To keep these US allies as allies for years to come, policymakers should heed the roadmap offered in this strategy paper, which focuses on the case study of Hungary to recommend ways to deepen alliances with CEE nations.

Central Europe Defense Policy

Report

Nov 3, 2020

Embracing underseas robots: a US strategy to maintain underseas superiority in an age of unmanned systems

By Erich Frandrup

The future of warfare is progressing towards uncrewed systems and automation. This report takes a look at this trend in the undersea domain, proposing a strategy for the United States to leverage the emerging capacity of unmanned undersea vehicles.

China Defense Industry

Report

Oct 9, 2020

Effective resilience and national strategy: Lessons from the pandemic and requirements for key critical infrastructures

By Franklin D. Kramer

A US national strategy for “effective resilience,” the capacity to prepare for and withstand shocks of the magnitude of a major pandemic or equivalent such as a major cyberattack with any resulting disruption significantly less than that caused by COVID-19.

Coronavirus Crisis Management

Report

Sep 28, 2020

Competitive strategy insights from wargames

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

Warfighting eclipses the moment of battle. This report assesses the results from a series of competitive strategy wargames in order to explore how US military-modernization investments can shape adversary decisions long before the battle ever begins.

China Conflict

Report

Sep 9, 2020

Future of DHS Project: Full report

By Thomas Warrick & Caitlin Durkovich

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) needs to refocus its mission to lead the defense of the United States against major nonmilitary threats.

China Coronavirus

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

Issue Brief

Aug 13, 2020

Future of DHS Project: Key findings and recommendations

By Thomas Warrick & Caitlin Durkovich

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) needs to refocus its mission to lead the defense of the United States against major nonmilitary threats.

China Coronavirus

Report

Jun 18, 2020

An affordable defense of Asia

By T.X. Hammes

US military advantages over China are steadily eroding. Therefore, in this inaugural report for Forward Defense, T.X. Hammes crafts a new strategy and corresponding operational concepts which leverage geography and emerging technology to improve the US and allied warfighting posture in Asia.

China Conflict

Report

Apr 22, 2020

Moving out: A comprehensive assessment of European military mobility

By Task Force Co-Chairs: General Curtis M. Scaparrotti, USA (Ret.) and Ambassador Colleen B. Bell

Military mobility is the logical and critical next step to enhancing the twenty-first-century conventional deterrence posture throughout Europe, an essential part of the formula for keeping the peace.

Europe & Eurasia European Union
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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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