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Forward Defense quick reads

New Atlanticist Feb 9, 2023

Policymakers: Keep Ukrainian soldiers front of mind as this war of attrition continues

By Justin M. Conelli

As the war reaches the one-year mark, leaders concerned about grand strategy need to weigh the suffering and resilience of the soldiers at the front.
Conflict Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding
Forward Defense quick reads

New Atlanticist Oct 13, 2023

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.
China Indo-Pacific
Forward Defense quick reads

New Atlanticist Feb 15, 2024

Russian nuclear anti-satellite weapons would require a firm US response, not hysteria

By Clementine G. Starling-Daniels, Mark J. Massa

If fielded, such weapons would directly challenge norms of responsible behavior in space and present a serious risk to all nations’ satellites.
Arms Control Russia

All timely commentary & analysis

New Atlanticist

Mar 26, 2020

Ending the “Endless War” trope

By Paul D. Miller

The trope about ending endless wars is really a way of arguing that the US foreign policy establishment has failed, that the supposed doctrine of interventionism is ineffective and counterproductive, and that the United States should retrench, withdraw, and do less in the world. It is the latest talking point in a long-running debate between advocates of restraint and advocates of engagement. The debate is not whether we want wars to end or not, but about what strategy is best suited to end them on the best terms.

Afghanistan Conflict

New Atlanticist

Feb 26, 2020

The fox in the henhouse: How bureaucratic processes handicap US military supremacy and what to do about it

By Stephen Rodriguez

Washington’s once unrivaled military strength is now increasingly challenged by that of its adversaries. To stay ahead, the United States must restructure its relationship with commercial companies by reducing regulation that hinders innovation, speed, and the ability for private industry to access government contracts.

Defense Industry Defense Policy
3D Printing

New Atlanticist

Feb 7, 2020

In an era of great-power competition, procurement reform not more regulation for the defense industrial base

By Tate Nurkin

What strategic gains can DoD realize from being a better customer? Given the reluctance of the US commercial sector to engage in defense work and the speedy innovation of our rivals, reform is needed.

Defense Industry Defense Policy

Event Recap

Dec 16, 2019

War Words in 2019: A stage play about the men and women who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan

By Steven Grundman and Christian Trotti

Walk with us…

Afghanistan Conflict

New Atlanticist

Jul 26, 2019

Lessons from Apollo: industry and great-power competition

By Christian Trotti and Mark Massa

The Apollo moon landing was not only a momentous scientific achievement, but also a grand strategic instrument of the Cold War

Space Technology & Innovation

New Atlanticist

Jun 24, 2019

What to expect from Acting Secretary of Defense Mark Esper

By Christian Trotti

Esper’s tenure as secretary of the army demonstrates a prioritization of great-power competition over other threats, and we should expect this trend to continue in his new role.

Defense Industry Defense Policy

New Atlanticist

Feb 1, 2019

US leaving INF Treaty could spark an arms race with Russia

By David A. Wemer

“With the demise of the INF Treaty, New START will be the only remaining constraint on Russia’s formidable and growing nuclear capabilities,” Alexander Vershbow says.

Arms Control Missile Defense

New Atlanticist

Oct 25, 2018

Trident juncture: NATO’s crisis response put to the test

By Clementine G. Starling

Military forces from thirty-one countries, including all twenty-nine NATO members, plus Finland and Sweden, are participating in Trident Juncture, a major demonstration and test of NATO’s collective response to a fictional armed attack against an allied member state.

Crisis Management NATO

New Atlanticist

Jul 10, 2018

NATO’s 2 percent guideline: What about the United States?

By Steven Grundman

At the NATO summit four years ago, the allies declared their commitment to “reverse the trend of declining defense budgets, to make the most effective use of our funds and to further a more balanced sharing of costs and responsibilities.” To that end, the heads of state and government gathered in Wales that summer recommitted themselves […]

NATO Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Apr 27, 2018

Previewing the Trump administration’s Missile Defense Review

By Matthew Kroenig

The Trump administration rolled out a series of national security and defense policy reviews in late 2017 and early 2018, but one important document has yet to be published: the Missile Defense Review (MDR). Insiders predict the MDR could be published as early as next month, so what can we expect? It is likely that […]

Korea Missile Defense

New Atlanticist

Mar 1, 2018

Vladimir Putin Flexes His Nuclear Muscles

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 1 boasted that Russia has developed “invincible” nuclear-capable missiles that can render existing missile defense systems “completely useless.” Putin used his annual state of the nation speech—delivered just weeks before the March 18 presidential election that he is guaranteed to win—to tout Russia’s military might.

Nuclear Nonproliferation Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Feb 2, 2018

Reviewing the Nuclear Posture Review: Here’s what you need to know

By Atlantic Council

US President Donald J. Trump’s Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) calls for enhanced deterrence and a larger nuclear arsenal. The administration released the new review on February 2. Outlined in the strategy is Trump’s decision to pursue a path toward augmenting nuclear capabilities against the backdrop of increasing tensions with North Korea—as it moves ever closer […]

National Security Nuclear Deterrence

New Atlanticist

Dec 6, 2017

Here’s what the new NDAA means for missile defense

By Matthew Kroenig

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed by the US Congress in November prioritizes investments in homeland missile defense. US President Donald J. Trump has called for a “state-of-the-art” missile defense system and this new defense budget begins to take steps in that direction. The bill authorizes a $12.3-billion-dollar topline budget for the Missile Defense […]

Korea Missile Defense

Defense Industrialist

Oct 28, 2017

Aerospace revelations: What could possibly go wrong?

By Steven Grundman

The Four Horsemen in the Book of Revelations, let us recall, are no cowpokes but terrible harbingers of the end of times, each marked by the color of the horse he rides to summon a hardship which by degrees is more cataclysmic than the last. Holding that allusion in mind, I use the seasonal tradition of AerospaceDefenseChain to harvest my critical thinking about the things that could possibly go wrong and turn to doom and dust today’s happy outlook on the second century of aerospace. Put differently, “How could we screw this up?”

Defense Industry Economy & Business

New Atlanticist

Oct 23, 2017

The North Korea nuclear threat and homeland missile defense

By Matthew Kroenig

In order to effectively address the growing tensions posed by North Korean nuclear capabilities, Washington needs a comprehensive strategy that will include a range of efforts, including, importantly, strengthened homeland missile defenses. Last week, US President Donald J. Trump, referring to the North Korean missile threat, claimed that “we have missiles that can knock out […]

Korea Missile Defense

Defense Industrialist

Aug 17, 2017

Can defense industrialists work with Trump?

By James Hasik

Whatever opprobrium the president is owed, his administration’s more important initiatives deserve attention. Donald Trump’s twin business advisory panels have collapsed. Members of both the Manufacturing Council and the Strategy & Policy Forum had been resigning quickly, and according to today’s Wall Street Journal—“CEOs Scrap Trump Panels”—they voted yesterday just to disband. At first, the president […]

Defense Industry Economy & Business

Defense Industrialist

Aug 4, 2017

How to be like Ike

By Steven Grundman

Project Solarium as a model for assessing defense-industrial policy It is hard not to read a pretext for protectionism into the Executive Order President Trump signed last month under the ponderous title, “Assessing and Strengthening the Manufacturing and Defense Industrial Base and Supply Chain Resiliency of the United States.” And yet, the Administration also has gone […]

Defense Industry Economy & Business

New Atlanticist

Feb 15, 2017

Washington must respond to Russia’s new nuclear missile

By Matthew Kroenig

The New York Times reported on February 14 that Russia has secretly deployed two batteries of a new nuclear-capable cruise missile in violation of its international treaty obligations. The news is disturbing, but hardly surprising. Unless the United States and its allies respond promptly, the situation is likely only to deteriorate further. Russia’s missile deployments […]

Arms Control Missile Defense

Art of Future Warfare

Nov 9, 2015

World War Z Author Max Brooks to Join the Atlantic Council’s Art of Future Warfare Project

By Atlantic Council

WASHINGTON, DC – The Atlantic Council announced today the appointment of Max Brooks as a Nonresident Senior Fellow for the Art of Future Warfare Project, which is an initiative of the Council’s Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security. Brooks is the acclaimed author and screenwriter of works such as World War Z: An Oral History […]

Crisis Management National Security

Commanders Series

Sep 23, 2011

Implementation of the ‘Canada First’ Defence Strategy in the Americas

By Jason Harmala

On September 23, the Atlantic Council’s International Security Program held a discussion with Lieutenant-General Walter Semianiw.

United States and Canada
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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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