Col. Adam Williams
Military Deputy, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) SAF/CN
U.S. Department of the Air Force
Colonel Adam M. Williams is assigned to the Pentagon as Deputy Chief Technology Officer for the Department of the Air Force. He drives the strategic technological vision, architectural modernization, and enterprise integration for a $29 billion portfolio. He is responsible for pivoting the department’s massive IT and cyber investments into decisive operational advantages, accelerating the delivery of secure, resilient, and cutting-edge digital capabilities to the joint warfighter. Previously, as Division Chief of IT Governance, he directed the strategic oversight and optimization of all IT investments across the Air and Space Force, establishing a new framework that integrated enterprise portfolio management with aggressive contract consolidation to drive spend accountability, ensure audit readiness, and deliver enterprise-wide transparency.
In June of 2025, Colonel Williams graduated the Army War College in Carlisle Pennsylvania, completing his thesis on AI-powered information warfare and earning a master’s degree in Strategic Studies. From 2022-2024, he was assigned as Branch Chief for Defensive Cyberspace Future Operations Planning in J35, JFHQ-DODIN under USCYBERCOM at Fort Meade, MD. During this assignment, Colonel Williams’ team led operational planning and orders development to secure, operate, and defend all 15,000 networks across the Department of Defense. From 2020-2022, he commanded the 52d Communications Squadron at the 52d Fighter Wing in Spangdahlem, Germany, where he led over 180 active duty, civilians, and contractors supporting European deterrence through NATO nuclear surety and suppression of enemy air defense. His squadron proudly led USAFE in Agile Combat Employment, Cyber Mission Defense, Enterprise Information Technology as a Service, and the Cyber Squadron Transition Initiative. From 2018-2020, he was assigned as the Command and Control (C2) Branch Chief in the AFRICOM Joint Operations Center, Stuttgart, Germany. Here, he was responsible for the operation and development of C2 systems and processes that control over 6,000 joint military and partnership-building forces on the African continent. From 2015-2017, he served as the Director of Operations for the 10th Intelligence Squadron in the 480th ISR Wing, Langley AFB, Virginia. While at Langley, he directed over 200 cyber professionals supporting UAV intelligence production and cyber integration at Distributed Ground Station-1 (DGS-1), the flagship site in the $700 million DCGS Enterprise and the Air Force’s largest intelligence production weapon system. From 2010-2015, Colonel Williams worked on Air Force Space Command staff at Peterson AFB, Colorado, fulfilling multiple roles throughout his tour to include Green Door for Counter-Space Systems, Cyberspace Officer Functional Manager, A6 Executive Officer, and Branch Chief for both Cyber Weapon Systems and Deployable Communications. In 2012, he was deployed to Al Udeid Air Base, serving as the ISAF LNO supporting the Strategy Division in the Combined Air Operations Center. From 2007-2010, he served as Flight Commander, 423d Communications Flight, and as Chief of Wing Communications in the 501st Combat Support Wing, RAF Alconbury / Molesworth, United Kingdom. During this tour, Colonel Williams was deployed to Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan, serving as the Mission Support Group Executive Officer and as the Communications Operations Flight Commander. His first duty assignment was the 45th Space Communications Squadron, 45th Space Wing, Patrick AFB from 2004-2007. Here he served as a communications project manager, Officer-In-Charge of Airfield Systems Maintenance, and Operations Group Executive Officer supporting the world’s busiest space port.
Event Participation
