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 leading a stream of wargaming work on behalf of the Joint Staff, the impacts of artificial intelliogence on key national security issues, 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 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
David A. Shlapak, Michael W. Johnson, Reinforcing Deterrence on NATO's Eastern Flank, RAND Corporation (RR-1253), 2016
David A. Shlapak, "Towards a More Modest American Strategy," Survival, 57(2), 2015
Igor Mikolic-Torreira, Don Snyder, Michelle Price, David A. Shlapak, Sina Beaghley, Megan Bishop, Sarah Harting, Jenny Oberholtzer, Stacie L. Pettyjohn, Cortney Weinbaum, Emma Westerman, Exploring Cyber Security Options in Australia, RAND Corporation (RR-2008), 2017
Ryan Henry, Steven Berner, David A. Shlapak, Serious Analytical Gaming The 360° Game for Multidimensional Analysis of Complex Problems, RAND Corporation (RR-1764), 2017
Terrence Kelly, James Dobbins, David Shlapak, David Gompert, Eric Heginbotham, Peter Chlak, Llolyd 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