J.D. Williams

Senior International and Defense Policy Researcher

Off Site Office

Education

M.S. in strategic intelligence, National Intelligence University; B.A. in history, Cornell University

One Page Bio

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

J.D. Williams is a senior defense policy researcher at the RAND Corporation focusing on national security, intelligence, and military issues. His recent work encompasses investigation of new concepts for amphibious and naval warfare, Russian and Chinese military strategy, and intelligence tradecraft for employing publicly available information and conducting intelligence net assessments. He came to RAND from the National Intelligence Council where he served as the national intelligence officer for military issues, preparing national intelligence assessments on foreign military forces and strategies, ongoing conflicts, weapons systems, and future warfare.

Previously, he held senior positions in the intelligence community as the research director for the Defense Intelligence Agency's analytic directorate, the chief of Intelligence Support for the Department of the Treasury, and director of Military Plans and Operations at the National Security Agency. He is also a retired Marine Corps colonel with 26 years of active duty as an intelligence and Russian Foreign Area Officer. He earned his M.S. in strategic intelligence from the National Intelligence University.

Research Focus

Previous Positions

National Intelligence Manager/National Intelligence Officer for Military Issues, National Intelligence Council; Research Director, Analysis Directorate, Defense Intelligence Agency

Selected Publications

Gene Germanovich, J.D. Williams, Stacie L. Pettyjohn, David A. Shlapak, Anthony Atler, Bradley Martin, NATO's Amphibious Forces Command and Control of a Multibrigade Alliance Task Force, RAND (RR-2928), 2019

Williams, J.D., Gene Germanovich, Stephen Webber, and Gabrielle Tarini, Unlocking NATO's Amphibious Potential: Lessons from the Past, Insights for the Future, RAND Corporation (PE-A695-1), 2020

Scobell, Andrew, Edmund J. Burke, Cortez A. Cooper III, Sale Lilly, Chad J. R. Ohlandt, Eric Warner, and J.D. Williams, China's Grand Strategy: Trends, Trajectories, and Long-Term Competition, RAND Corporation (RR-2798-A), 2020

Andrew Radin, Andrew Scobell, Elina Treyger, J.D. Williams, Logan Ma, Howard J. Shatz, Sean M. Zeigler, Eugeniu Han, Clint Reach, China-Russia Cooperation: Determining Factors, Future Trajectories, Implications for the United States, (RR-3067), 2021 (forthcoming)

George Nacouzi, J.D. Williams, Brian Dolan, Anne Stickells, David Luckey, Colin Ludwig, Jia Xu, Yuliya Shokh, Daniel M. Gerstein, Michael H. Decker, Assessment of the Proliferation of Certain Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems, RAND (RR-2369), 2018

LtCol JD Williams (Principal Author), Marine Corps Concept Paper: Sustained Operations Ashore, Marine Corps Combat Development Command, 1998

John Schmitt & LtCol JD Williams, Marine Corps Doctrinal Publication 2: Intelligence, Marine Corps Combat Development Command, 1997

JD Williams, "Launch on Warning in Soviet Nuclear Strategy," Air University Review, 1986

Honors & Awards

Distinguished Graduate, Marine Corps War College

Languages

Russian

Recent Media Appearances

Interviews: CNN; The World, Public Radio

Commentary

Ukraine

One Year After Russia's Invasion of Ukraine: Experts React
We asked nearly 30 RAND experts to highlight takeaways from the first year of Russia's all-out war—and share what they're watching as the conflict in Ukraine grinds on. Here's what they said.
Feb 20, 2023
Open Source Intelligence

An Early Policy Victory for DNI Haines: Boost the Priority of Open Sources Information
The quantity, quality, and accessibility of publicly available information has exploded over the past decades. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines has an opportunity to advance intelligence community mission activities on several key issues shaped by the digital information age, including the role of publicly available information.
Mar 4, 2021
The Hill
Intelligence Community

Biden and the U.S. Intelligence Community
President-elect Biden faces a daunting domestic and foreign policy agenda. Choosing an experienced hand like former CIA Deputy Director Avril Haines to be the next Director of National Intelligence could help restore the Intelligence Community's role in informing White House decisionmaking.
Nov 25, 2020
The Hill

Publications

Report
China-Russia Cooperation: Determining Factors, Future Trajectories, Implications for the United States
Since 2014, China and Russia have strengthened their relationship. In this report, the authors seek to understand the impact of the Chinese-Russian relationship on the United States and implications for future U.S. policy.
Oct 12, 2021
Commentary
Unlocking NATO's Amphibious Potential: Lessons from the Past, Insights for the Future
Researchers analyze the past, present, and future employment of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's amphibious forces, highlight ongoing initiatives, and identify several efforts that should be pursued to advance its amphibious capabilities.
Nov 9, 2020
Report
Chinese Views of Big Data Analytics
The authors of this report use Chinese primary-source materials to provide a preliminary analysis of China's expectations for the use of big data analytics and the country's plans and strategies for development of big data analytic capabilities.
Sep 1, 2020
Report
China's Grand Strategy: Trends, Trajectories, and Long-Term Competition
To explore what extended competition between the United States and China might entail out to 2050, the authors of this report assessed how successful China might be at implementing its grand strategy goals over the next three decades.
Jul 24, 2020
Report
NATO's Amphibious Forces: Command and Control of a Multibrigade Alliance Task Force
RAND researchers facilitated three wargaming events to explore command and control of NATO's amphibious forces in major combat operations. The authors note results and implications for future force development.
Jun 27, 2019
Report
Assessment of the Proliferation of Certain Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems: Response to Section 1276 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017
RAND Corporation researchers assessed the impact that certain remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) governed by the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) have on U.S. national security interests. In this report, they document their findings.
Jun 14, 2018