David A. Shlapak

David A. Shlapak
Senior Defense Researcher
Washington Office

Education

B.A. in political science, Northwestern University

Media Resources

This researcher is available for interviews.

To arrange an interview, contact the RAND Office of Media Relations at (310) 451-6913, or email media@rand.org.

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Overview

David A. Shlapak (he/him) is a senior defense researcher at the RAND Corporation. Since joining RAND in 1982, he has led research and published on topics ranging from counterterrorism to nuclear strategy.

His areas of research focus on the return of great power competititon in the global security environment. His current work includes wargaming scenarios of U.S. conflict with China or Russia, the role of nuclear weapons in U.S. strategy, and the U.S.-China technology competition. 

From 2014 to 2018, Shlapak was a founding codirector of the RAND Center for Gaming, one of six Methods Centers under the Pardee RAND Graduate School. He is a former acting director of the Strategy and Doctrine Program in Project AIR FORCE.

Shlapak holds a B.A. in political science from Northwestern University and did his graduate work at UCLA.

Selected Publications

Shlapak, David A., The Russian Challenge, RAND Corporation (PE-250-A), 2018

Shlapak, David A., Deterring Russian Aggression in the Baltic States: What it Takes to Win, RAND Corporation (CT-467), 2017

Shlapak, David A., Michael Johnson, Reinforcing Deterrence on NATO's Eastern Flank: Wargaming the Defense of the Baltics, RAND Corporation (RR-1253), 2016

David A. Shlapak, "Towards a More Modest American Strategy," Survival, 57(2), 2015

Mikolic-Torreira, Igor, Don Snyder, Michelle Price, David A. Shlapak, Sina Beaghley, Megan Bishop, Sarah Harting, Jenny Oberholtzer, Stacie L. Pettyjohn, Cortney Weinbaum, and Emma Westerman, Exploring Cyber Security Policy Options in Australia, RAND Corporation (RR-2008), 2017

Henry, Ryan, Steven Berner, and David A. Shlapak, Serious Analytical Gaming: The 360° Game for Multidimensional Analysis of Complex Problems, RAND Corporation (RR-1764), 2017

Kelly, Terrence K., James Dobbins, David A. Shlapak, David C. Gompert, Eric Heginbotham, Peter Chalk, and Lloyd Thrall, The U.S. Army in Asia, 2030-2040, RAND Corporation (RR-474), 2014

Shlapak, David A., How Not to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb: A Realistic Approach for Dealing with North Korea's Nuclear Weapons, RAND Corporation (PE-A1495-1), 2021

Honors & Awards

  • 2016 Gold Medal Award, RAND

Recent Media Appearances

Interviews: Australian Broadcasting Corporation; BBC Radio; CBS News Online; KCRW, To The Point; Lietuvos Radijas; PBS NewsHour Online; Press Play, KCRW; Sinclair Broadcast Group; WhoWhatWhy; WNYC, New York Public Radio; Wprost.pl

Commentary: Newsweek; United Press International; U.S. News & World Report; War on the Rocks

Commentary

Publications