  In this communication I describe the ATLAS forward physics program and the
detectors, LUCID, ZDC and ALFA that have been designed to meet this
experimental challenge. In addition to their primary role in the determination
of ATLAS luminosity these detectors - in conjunction with the main ATLAS
detector - will be used to study soft QCD and diffractive physics in the
initial low luminosity phase of ATLAS running. Finally, I will briefly describe
the ATLAS Forward Proton (AFP) project that currently represents the future of
the ATLAS forward physics program.
