Forward Defense quick reads

Atlantic Council launches major commission to ensure US and allied military advantage in software-defined warfare

An Atlantic Council commission on improving DoD production and integration of state-of-the-art software solutions

Our experts explain what US policymakers should know about deterring Russia’s and China’s nuclear threats

The fellows of Forward Defense’s Nuclear Strategy Project met at a roundtable to discuss how to deter nuclear powers Russia and China from expanding their capabilities and from giving nuclear weapons a greater role in Moscow’s and Beijing’s defense strategies.

As the US faces down new nuclear threats, will Cold War solutions work once again?

By Alyxandra Marine

The tripolar nuclear power world is certainly new; but the deterrence theories of the Cold War may not need to be completely changed, our experts find.

AUKUS is hamstrung by outdated US export control rules. Here’s what Congress can do.

By Deborah Cheverton, John T. Watts

US lawmakers must show that they are willing to make the necessary changes to a needlessly limiting export control regime that does more harm than good.

Autonomous weapons are the moral choice

By Thomas X. Hammes

Arguments about whether democratic nations should field and employ lethal autonomous weapon systems miss the point. They have used autonomous weapons for decades.

The urgent threats posed by the Iranian regime: Atlantic Council experts testify before the US House Committee on Homeland Security

By Nathan Sales and Thomas S. Warrick

Nathan Sales and Thomas Warrick testify before the House Committee on Homeland Security on the threat Iran poses to the United States.

What needs to change about US nuclear weapons strategy?

By Atlantic Council experts

Our experts break down the 2023 Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States report.

Hamas wants the world (and especially Iran) to watch it take Israelis hostage

By Jennifer A. Counter

For Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, high-profile attacks against Israeli targets help to justify continued support from Iran.

Jets and rockets are important, but Ukraine also needs faster munitions deliveries

By Thomas S. Warrick

Today’s battlefield chews up ammunition and equipment at extraordinary rates. The US “arsenal of democracy” needs to start working overtime.

The US Navy will employ autonomous vessels in a new region—but integrating the tech won’t be easy

By Sophia Costes and Grace Jones

Autonomous vessels could make a big difference in Latin America by helping the effort to reduce the flow of illicit drugs and trafficking.

Flying high with Europe and Africa: A conversation with General James B. Hecker

By Atlantic Council

Hecker outlined his top five priorities for NATO to ensure that it is ready should it need to invoke Article Five.

Ukraine’s drone strikes are a window into the future of warfare

By Mark Jacobsen

Kyiv’s innovations will usher in a new generation of do-it-yourself drone technology, making their use a routine feature of warfare.

Here’s what F-16s will (and will not) mean for Ukraine’s fight against Russia 

By Clementine G. Starling, Jacob Mezey, and Holly Ryan

The Netherlands and Denmark have announced they will send F-16s to Ukraine as soon as training is complete, and the United States has unveiled new plans to train Ukrainian pilots and ground crew.

Employing artificial intelligence and the edge continuum for joint operations

By James E. Cartwright and Jags Kandasamy

In Spring 2023, experts from the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security’s Forward Defense program and Latent AI convened for discussions on employing artificial intelligence for joint operations. This memo builds upon takeaways and insights gleaned from those meetings.

Indian Ocean partnerships are key to countering China’s maritime ambitions

By Delharty Manson and Nicholas Nuñez

The United States must strengthen its ties to Indian Ocean nations to counter China’s maritime presence in the Indo-Pacific.

The British Army’s chief of the general staff: How to build an all-volunteer force fit for the twenty-first century

By Patrick Sanders

The British Army will need to enhance its recruitment strategy to build an all-volunteer force fit for twenty-first century conflicts.

Congress should fund the nuclear sea-launched cruise missile

By Robert Soofer and Walter B. Slocombe

The deployment of SLCM-Ns would send a clear message to adversary and ally alike that the United States maintains the resolve and capabilities to respond to any foe’s nuclear use.

NATO has a new plan to ramp up defense production. Is it enough?

By Rob Murray

Underreported coming out of the Vilnius Summit, the Alliance’s Defense Production Action Plan has the potential to transform how allies acquire what they need to defend themselves.

Experts react: What Russia’s Wagner Group rebellion means for Putin, Ukraine, China, and more

By Atlantic Council experts

How did Prigozhin’s rebellion get as far as it did? And how will its aftermath affect Putin’s hold on power and the war in Ukraine?

Before embarking on arms control talks, Biden needs a nuclear deal with Congress

By Robert Soofer

The White House and Congress disagree over the type and number of nuclear weapons needed to deter Russia, China, North Korea, and potentially Iran.