Col. Joshua P. Williams is the Air Force Program Executive Officer for Cyber and Networks, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts. With more than 2,700 personnel under his command, he is responsible for a $21 billion portfolio that includes developing, producing, deploying, and sustaining Department of the Air Force Aerial Networks, Enterprise Information Technology and Cyber Infrastructure, Cybersecurity and Cryptologic Systems, Software Development Factories and Platforms, combat communications, and special programs. These systems enable reliable connectivity for more than 600,000 users at the point of mission need.
Col. Williams earned his commission as a graduate of the University of Utah’s Air Force ROTC program. He has served as a project manager in the Joint Expeditionary Force Exercise, Global Command and Control Air Force, Mobile Consolidated Command Center, Global Sensor Integrated Network, and the F-22 (Increment 3.2A/B) program offices. He also served in Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command as the Deputy, Senior Leader Management, and completed intermediate development education as an Air Force Fellow, Lean Aerospace Initiative, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Col. Williams completed his senior development education at the Eisenhower School of Strategy and Resourcing and was the Materiel Leader, Air Force Distributed Common Ground System. Col. Williams also served as the Chief, Command and Control Division in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition followed by serving as the Senior Materiel Leader, Strategic Warning and Surveillance Systems Division.
Prior to his current position, Col. Williams was the PEO for Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Special Operations Forces, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. In this role he was responsible for more than 3,400 personnel nationwide and acquisition execution of a $33 billion portfolio developing, producing, testing, modifying, fielding, and supporting Air Force ISR and SOF platforms, and related sub-systems.
EDUCATION
2001 Bachelor of Science, Finance and Information Systems, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 2002 Air and Space Basic Course, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2007 Missile Correlation Center Crew Operations, Schriever AFB, Colo.
2007 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2008 Master of Business Administration, Troy University, Troy, Ala. 2011 Air Command and Staff College – Non-Residence
2015 Master of Science, Engineering and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.
2018 Master of Science, National Strategy and Resourcing, Eisenhower School, National Defense University, Washington D.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. January 2002 – January 2003, Assistant Regional Director of Admissions, West Region, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
2. January 2003 – August 2004, Joint Expeditionary Force Exercise Project Officer, Command and Control Enterprise Integration Officer, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass.
3. August 2004 – July 2005, Chief, Global Command and Control AF Security Branch, Global Information Grid Systems Group, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass.
4. July 2005 – January 2006, Chief, Global Command and Control Integration and Baseline Management Branch, Global Information Grid Systems Group, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass.
5. January 2006 – December 2006, Deputy Program Manager, Mobile Consolidated Command Center, 850th Electronic Systems Group, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.
6. December 2006 – December 2007, Deputy Program Manager, Distributed Command and Control Node, 850th Electronic Systems Group, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.
7. December 2007 – January 2010, Chief, COCOM Initiative Branch, 850th Electronic Systems Group, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.
8. January 2010 – May 2012, F-22 Modernization Program Manager, F-22 Division, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
9. May 2012 – June 2013, Deputy Chief, Senior Leader Management, HQ Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
10. June 2013 – February 2015, Air Force Fellow, Lean Aerospace Initiative, System Design and Management Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.
11. February 2015 – June 2017, Materiel Leader, Air Force Distributed Common Ground System, Command, Command, Control, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Division, Robins AFB, Ga.
12. June 2017 – July 2018, Student, Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Ft. McNair, Va.
13. July 2018 – July 2019, Chief, Command and Control Division, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition,
Washington, D.C.
14. July 2019 – August 2022, Senior Materiel Leader, Strategic Warning and Surveillance Systems Division, Peterson AFB, Colo.
15. August 2022 – September 2025, PEO, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Special Operations Forces, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
16. September 2025 – Present, Program Executive Officer for Cyber and Networks, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
ACQUISTION PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM CERTIFICATIONS
Program Management Level III, 2012 Program Management Level II, 2007
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
The Legion of Merit Medal
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with one oak leaf cluster National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal
Air Force Longevity Service with two oak leaf clusters
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2001 Distinguished Graduate, Reserve Officer Training Corps 2007 Distinguished Graduate, Squadron Officer School
2008 850 Electronic System Group Lance P. Sijan Award Nominee 2008 850 Electronic System Group CGO of the Year
2011 Abrahamson Award Finalist (PM of the Year for Aeronautical System Center)
2012 HQ AFMC A1 Field Grade Officer of the Quarter (4th) 2012 HQ AFMC A1 Field Grade Officer of the Year
2015 Federal Acquisition Agile Team of the Year
2016 AQ/AZ Battle Management Directorate Outstanding Acquisition Manager of the Year (O-4/O-5)
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant Dec. 28, 2001
First Lieutenant Dec. 28, 2003
Captain Dec. 28, 2005
Major Dec. 1, 2011
Lieutenant Colonel Feb. 1, 2015
Colonel March 1, 2019
(Current as of September 2025)