William Shelton

Senior Engineer

Washington Office

Education

M.S. in aero/astro engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology; B.S. in aero/astro engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

One Page Bio

Overview

William Shelton is a senior engineer at the RAND Corporation. His research has covered such topics as accelerating Air Force acquisition programs, the reorganization of Air Force Material Command, how to improve the Air Force's development and implementation of large scale Enterprise Resource Planning programs, and how to improve the acquisition process for the US Space Force.

After retiring from the Air Force in 2007, he worked in industry and government prior to joining RAND. During his Air Force career he worked on tactical aircraft (F-16, F-22, Joint Strike Fighter), command and control (Link 16), and missile defense (C2 Battle Management and Communications). While on active duty, Shelton served in the Department of State in Defense Trade Controls as an expert on export controls and the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR). He also had Air Staff and intelligence tours as well as a RAND Air Force Fellowship.

He has a B.S. in aeronautics/astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an M.S. in aeronautical engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology.

Research Focus

Recent Projects

Early Indicators of Relative Contractor Performance Risk for Air Force Acquisition
Business Process Review of Mission Support Functions
Identifying Savings in the Conduct of AT&L Business Areas
Alternative Space Architectures: Better Leveraging Commercial Space and the Effect of Delayed New Starts
A Clean Sheet Approach to Space Acquisition in Light of the New Space Force

Selected Publications

Gilmore, J. Michael, Shelton, William L., Harting, Sarah, Estimating Potential Savings in Department of Defense Activities, (RR-2329-OSD), 2019

Harting, Sarah, Shelton, William L., Anton, Philip S., Blickstein, Irv, Brauner, Marygail K., Lachman, Beth E., Moore, Nancy Y., Conley, Tim, Smith, Meagan L., Lewis, Austin, Unconstrained Ideas and Savings Initiatives for the Department of Defense in Three Areas: Acquisition and Procurement, Logistics and Supply Chain, and Real Property Management, (RP-3621-OSD), 2018

Anton, Philip S., Conley, Tim, Blickstein, Irv, Lewis, Austin, Shelton, William L., Harting, Sarah, Baselining Defense Acquisition, (RP-3611-OSD), 2018

Snyder, Don et al., Assessment of the Air Force Materiel Command Reorganization National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013, RAND Corporation (RR-389-AF), 2013

Riposo, Jessie et al., Improving Air Force Enterprise Resource Planning-enabled Business Transformation, RAND Corporation (RR-250-AF), 2013

Huber, Arthur et al., The Virtual Combat Air Staff: The Promise of Information Technologies, RAND Corporation (MR-759-AF), 1996

William Shelton, Cynthia R. Cook, Charlie Barton, Frank Camm, Kelly Elizabeth Eusebi, Diana Gehlhaus, Moon Kim, Yool Kim, Megan McKernan, Sydne, Newberry, Colby P. Steiner, A Clean Sheet Approach to Space Acquisition in Light of the New Space Force, (RR-A541-1), 2021

Commentary

Building Better Government Acquisition Programs: Q&A with William Shelton
In the U.S. Air Force, William Shelton managed hundreds of millions of dollars in acquisition programs. He retired as a colonel then joined RAND as an engineer. One of his recent projects provided the U.S. Space Force with a new approach to acquisition, designed around its unique mission.
Mar 4, 2022
Multiple Factors Drive Program Success
Congress continues to express concerns about weapon system cost growth and is considering multiple acquisition reform proposals for the National Defense Authorization Act. One proposal would hold program managers accountable via a “performance agreement” for key parameters that must be met.
Sep 30, 2015 Defense News

Publications

Report
Contractor Risk and Performance Indicators: Prototype Functional Specification and Developer Document
This report presents the technical design and architecture of a RAND-developed software prototype that assesses relative contractor risks in Department of the Air Force acquisition contracts and programs as described in two companion reports.
May 16, 2022
Report
Early Predictive Indicators of Contractor Performance: A Data-Analytic Approach
This report presents initial insights and approaches in exploring and prototyping methods to identify potential contractor performance risks for the Department of the Air Force earlier than would be typically reported via traditional methods.
May 12, 2022
Report
Reimagining Defense Advisory Boards: Lessons Learned for Leaders in the U.S. Department of Defense
RAND Corporation researchers embarked on this exploratory study to reveal lessons learned for how the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) can improve its use of advisory boards.
Feb 9, 2022
Report
Relative Contractor Risks: A Data-Analytic Approach to Early Identification
The authors prototyped a new way to apply data analysis on a variety of government and commercial data sources to assess the relative contractor performance risks in Air Force acquisition contracts and programs.
Feb 4, 2022
Report
A Clean Sheet Approach to Space Acquisition in Light of the New Space Force
The authors describe an unconstrained "clean sheet" approach to space acquisition for the U.S. Space Force designed around the unique mission and calling of the new service.
Aug 25, 2021
Research Brief
The Department of Defense's Posture for Artificial Intelligence: Assessment and Recommendations for Improvement
In this report, RAND Corporation researchers assess the state of artificial intelligence relevant to the U.S. Department of Defense and provide recommendations for the future of the department's artificial intelligence posture.
Jan 26, 2021
Report
The Department of Defense Posture for Artificial Intelligence: Assessment and Recommendations
In this report, the authors assess the state of artificial intelligence (AI) relevant to DoD, conduct an independent assessment of the Department of Defense's posture in AI, and put forth a set of recommendations to enhance that posture.
Dec 17, 2019
Report
Baselining Defense Acquisition
In support of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) efforts to improve mission effectiveness and efficiency, this report identifies DoD government functions for procurement and acquisition, estimating their costs at between $29 billion and $38 billion.
Nov 20, 2019
Report
Estimating Potential Savings in Department of Defense Activities
There is a push to make the U.S. government run like the private sector. Alternatives to this approach that attempt to account for the complexity and uniqueness of the U.S. Department of Defense are presented in this report.
Feb 11, 2019
Report
Joint Precision Approach and Landing System Nunn-McCurdy Breach Root Cause Analysis and Portfolio Assessment Metrics for DoD Weapons Systems, Volume 8
The authors examine the Joint Precision Approach and Landing System Inc. 1A Nunn-McCurdy breach and document a methodology that can assess and summarize the overall performance of an acquisition portfolio at a point in time and over several years.
Oct 23, 2015
Report
Acquisition of Space Systems, Volume 7: Past Problems and Future Challenges
As Department of Defense plans for the next-generation space systems in an increasingly challenging fiscal and security environment, it is important to apply lessons learned from past space acquisition, which had experienced many difficulties.
Mar 30, 2015
Report
Assessment of the Air Force Materiel Command Reorganization: Report for Congress
Assesses the FY 2012 reorganization of the Air Force Material Command, which was undertaken as one of the initiatives to achieve mandated budget reductions by eliminating civilian manpower positions, thus achieving cost savings.
Nov 21, 2013
Report
Improving Air Force Enterprise Resource Planning-Enabled Business Transformation
RAND Project AIR FORCE identified key conditions to aid the success of business transformation enabled by enterprise resource planning systems, challenges the Air Force must address to achieve them, and options for overcoming these challenges.
Oct 25, 2013
Report
Air Force Materiel Command Reorganization Analysis: Final Report
A congressionally mandated review of the proposed restructuring of Air Force Materiel Command examined the proposal and its effect on life-cycle management, weapon system sustainment, and overall support to the warfighter.
Jul 6, 2012
Report
The Virtual Combat Air Staff: The Promise of Information Technologies
The results of this research indicate that the rapid advances now progressing within the technological realm, as well as within organizational theory and practice, presage a different paradigm for the future combat air staff.
1996