Lawrence J. Korb (born July 9, 1939, in New York City), is a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress and a Senior Adviser to the Center for Defense Information. He was formerly Director of National Security Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York.

Lawrence Korb attended the Athenaeum of Ohio, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1961. Going on St. John's University (New York City), he obtained his Master's Degree in 1962, before joining the U.S. Navy in 1962. Korb served on active duty for four years as a Naval Flight Officer, and retired from the Naval Reserve with the rank of Captain. On completing his active duty, Korb returned to graduate school, where he received his PhD at the State University of New York Albany in 1969. He served as Professor of Management at the Naval War College in 1975-1980.

Korb served as advisor to the Reagan-Bush election committee in 1980 and was then appointed Assistant Secretary of Defense (Manpower, Reserve Affairs, Installations and Logistics) from 1981 to 1985. In that position, he administered about seventy percent of the Defense budget. For his service he was awarded the Department of Defense’s medal for Distinguished Public Service.