Mr John Frederick Bradford is Adjunct Senior Fellow in the Maritime Security Programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University. Mr Bradford holds a Master of Science in Strategic Studies from RSIS (Gold Medal winner) and Bachelor of Arts (Magna Cum Laude in Asian Studies) from Cornell University. He retired from the U.S. Navy with the rank of Commander. His U.S. Navy assignments included service as the Deputy Director of the 7th Fleet Maritime Headquarters, as Country Director for Japan in the Office of the Secretary of Defense-Policy, and as Commanding Officer of a ballistic missile defense-capable Aegis destroyer forward deployed to Japan. His research interests focus on Indo-Pacific maritime issues and security cooperation. His work can be found in publications such as Contemporary Southeast Asia, Asia Policy, Asian Security, Asian Survey, Naval War College Review, and Naval Institute Proceedings.   He has also written book chapters, online articles, and monographs published by leading international think tanks.

• Maritime Security
• Japan-Southeast Asia Relations
• Naval Operations
• Alliance Management
• U.S. Strategy in the Indo-Pacific
• Japanese Foreign Policy
• Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response

• Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies, Executive Director,
• Muareen and Mike Mansfield Foundation, U.S.-Japan Network for the Future, 5^th Cohort Member
• Olmsted Foundation, 2017 Yablonski Espirit Award Recipient

IDSS Papers

• IP25026 | American Consortium's Purchase of Hong Kong-Owned Port Terminals Has Implications Far Beyond Panama

  10 March, 2025

• IP25005 | Japan’s Official Security Assistance to Southeast Asia: Limited Scope, but Real Impact

  13 January, 2025

• IP24101 | Prabowo’s International Tour: Economic Gains and Maritime Controversy

  02 December, 2024

• IP24060 | Japan-Philippines Reciprocal Access Agreement Strengthens Defence Links Across the First Island Chain

  23 July, 2024

• IP24053 | A Maritime Wall Is Forming Around China – That’s Not All Bad for Southeast Asia

  05 June, 2024

• IP24030 | The Quad and the South China Sea: Making Waves Without Taking Action

  21 March, 2024

• IP24007 | Asia Needs to Be Ready for Long-Term Trouble for Red Sea Traffic

  24 January, 2024

• IP23016 | Increasing Complexity of Stakeholder Roles in Southeast Asian Maritime Security

  20 February, 2023

• IP22058 | Evolving Stakeholder Roles in Southeast Asian Maritime Security

  02 November, 2022

• IP22026 | US-UK Consultations on the Indo-Pacific: An Unexpected Development for Southeast Asia

  08 April, 2022

• IP22008 | Chinese Military Basing in Cambodia: Why Be So Up In Arms?

  16 February, 2022

Working Papers

• WP075 | Southeast Asian Maritime Security In The Age of Terror: Threats, Opportunity, And Charting The Course Forward

  01 April, 2005

• WP073 | The Indonesian Military as a Professional Organization: Criteria and Ramifications for Reform

  01 January, 2005

RSIS Commentary Series

• ASEAN Solidarity Exercise and Regional Maritime Cooperation

  31 October, 2023

• KRI Nanggala-402: Time to Boost Maritime Cooperation

  26 April, 2021

• Japan Sails Into New Territory

  17 December, 2020

Journal Articles

• “Why the quad is not squaring off in the South China Sea: evaluating interests, objectives and capacity” (with Ralf Emmers) in Australian Journal of International Affairs, 2024. pp. 1-21
• “US Perspectives and Expectations Regarding the UK’s Tilt to the Indo-Pacific” in The RUSI Journal, 2023
• “Force Multiplier: US-Japan Alliance Modernization and Maritime Southeast Asia” in Asian Survey, Vol. 62, No. 4, 2022, p. 666–694
• “Thailand’s Maritime Strategy: National Resilience and Regional Cooperation” (with Wilfried Herrmman) in Jouranl of Indo-Pacific Affairs, Vol 5, No 4, 2021. 29-48
• “PRC Security Force Posture in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia.” in United States Institute for Peace Special Reporrt, 2021
• “Maritime Governance Capacity Building: A U.S.-Japan Alliance Agenda for Rule of Law in the Indo-Pacific” in Issues & Insights, Vol. 21, No. 2, 2021, pp. 38-43
• “10 Things Every Sailor and Marine Should Know before Deploying to Southeast Asia” (with Blake Herzinger) in United States Naval Institute, 2021
• “Maritime Governance Capacity Building: A U.S.-Japan Alliance Agenda for Rule of Law in the Indo-Pacific” in Advancing a Rules-based Maritime Order in the Indo-Pacific, 21, 2, 2021, 38-43
• “PRC Investments in Global Maritime Infrastructure Implications for Port Access” in CIMSEC , Maersk Infrastructure Week, 2021
• “Japan Takes the Lead in Western Pacific Maritime Security” in Asia Policy, 16, 2, 2021, 81
• “Japanese naval activities in Southeast Asian waters: building on 50 years of maritime security capacity building” in Asian Security, 2020
• “Anti-Mine Warfare – A New Agenda of Japan-US and South Korea Security Cooperation” (with Narushige Michishita , and Daniel Fillion) in Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Command and Staff College Review, Jan 2019, 2019. pp.99-107
• “Trilateral Security Cooperation: Act Now Against Sea Mines” (with Daniel Fillion) in U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, Jan 2019, 2018
• “Waves of Change: Evolution in the U.S. Navy’s Strategic Approach to Disaster Relief Operations Between the 2004 and 2011 Asian Tsunamis” in Asian Security, Spring, 2013, pp.19-37
• “The Case for a Northeast Asian Disaster Relief Hub” (with Deogsan Ahn, James Newberry , and Harold Wescott) in Asia Policy, June, pp.47-78, 2012. pp.47-78
• “The Maritime Strategy of the United States: Implications for Indo-Pacific Sealanes” in Contemporary Southeast Asia, Aug, 2011, pp.183-208
• “Shifting the Tides Against Piracy in Southeast Asian Waters” in Asian Survey, May/June , 2008, pp.473-491
• “Develop Cross-Cultural Competence” (with Annette Bradford) in U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, March, 2008
• “The Growing Prospects for Maritime Security Cooperation in Southeast Asia” in Naval War College Review, Summer, 2005, pp. 64-86
• “Japanese Anti-Piracy Initiatives in Southeast Asia: Policy Formulation and Coastal State Responses” in Contemporary Southeast Asia, Vol. 26, No. 3, 2004, pp. 480-505
• “The ROTC Advantage” in American Enterprise, Fall, 1999
• “Civil-Military Relations Theory” in Reform, Muhammadiyah University Malan, Fall, 1995

Edited Books / Special Issues

• Maritime Cooperation and Security in the Indo-Pacific Region (with Jane Chan Git Yin, Stuart Kaye, Clive Schofield, and Geoffrey Till), Eds. Leiden, Netherlands: Brill, 2022
• America, Sea Power, and the World, 2nd Edition. Hoboken, New Jersey, U.S.: Wiley, 2022
• Underwriting the Alliance (with Michael Bosack), Eds. Yokosuka, Japan: Yokosuka Council on Asia-Pacific Studies, 2021
• U.S.-Japan Alliance Handbook, 2nd Edition. Washington DC: National Defense University, 2012
• U.S.-Japan Alliance Handbook, 1st Edition. Washington DC: Office of the Secretary of Defense (Policy), 2010
• Maritime Security in Southeast Asia: U.S., Japanese, Regional and Industry Strategies (with James Manicom, Simon Sheldon , and Neil Quartaro), Eds. #24: National Bureau of Asian Research Special Report, 2010

Chapters in Edited Books

• “Japan and the South China Sea, in Security Dynamics in the South China Sea” (with Bret Perry) in Howard Hensel, Security Dynamics in the South China Sea Contemporary Challenges and Opportunities. New York: Routledge, 2024, To be updated
• “Maritime Governance Capacity Building: A U.S.-Japan Alliance Agenda for Rule of Law in the Indo-Pacific” (with Jeffrey Ordaniel) in John Bradford and Jeffrey Ordaniel (eds), Advancing a Rules-based Maritime Order in the Indo-Pacific, . Honolulu,HI : Pacific Forum, 2021, pp. 38-43
• “Japanese Airpower Strategy” (with Bret Perry) in Howard Hensel (Ed.), Airpower in the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific: Understanding Regional Security Dynamics. New York: Routledge, 2020, pp. 150-173
• “U.S. Counter-Piracy Efforts in Southeast Asia 2004-2015: Consistent, Cooperative and Supportive” in Caroline Liss and Ted Biggs (Eds.), Piracy in Southeast Asia: Trends, Hot Spots and Responses. New York: Routledge, 2017, pp. 32-56

Working Papers

• Maritime Security Conceptualizations in Southeast Asia: The Implications of Convergence and Divergence
• Conceptualization of “Maritime Security” in Southeast Asia: Convergences and Divergences, Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, Washington DC: USA, 4 November 2021
• Maritime Issues in the Indo-Pacific: Building a Shared Vision of “Free and Open” (with Nick Millward, and Caitlin Doornbos), Pacific Forum , United States, 1 March 2020
• Understanding 50 Years of Japanese Maritime Security Initiatives in Southeast Asia, Foreign Expert Perspectives, National Institute of Defense, 30 September 2018
• Beyond Bilateralism: Exercising the Maritime Security Network in Southeast Asia (with Greg Adams), Issues & Insights, Vol 16, No 11, CSIS PACFORUM, 15 June 2016
• The Global Maritime Fulcrum: A New American Opportunity to Seriously Engage Indonesia (with Sean Quirk), Issues & Insights, Vol 15, No 9, CSIS PACFORUM, 6 October 2015

Op-Eds

• “Governing the Global Commons: Challenges and Opportunities for US-Japan Cooperation” (with Kristi Govella, Kyoko Hatakeyama, Saadia M. Pekkanen, Setsuko Aoki, James Lewis, and Motohiro Tsuchiya), German Marshall Fund (GMF), 19 December 2022
• “Evolving Threats to Southeast Asia’s Maritime Security”, Asia Maritime Transparency Intiative, 16 November 2022
• “Japan Sails Ahead as Southeast Asia’s Vanguard Maritime Partner”, Japan in the Indo-Pacific: Investing in Partnerships in South and Southeast Asia, 16 August 2022
• “Naval Engagements will Brace the United Kingdom’s Indo-Pacific Tilt”, CSIS Asia Maritime Security Transparency Initiative, 21 December 2021
• “Evolving Conceptualizations of Maritime Security in Southeast Asia”, CSIS Asia Maritime Security Transparency Initiative, 4 November 2021
• “Lightning Carriers Could be Lightweights in an Asia War” (with Olli Pekka Suorsa), War on the Rocks, 29 October 2021
• “Southeast Asia’s Maritime Security Should be a US-Japan Alliance Agenda”, Pacific Forum, PACNET 37, 26 August 2021
• “10 Things Every Sailor and Marine Should Know before Deploying to Southeast Asia: A Primer” (with Blake Herzinger), Pacific Forum, PACNET 36, 19 August 2021
• “Maritime Security Hubs Need to Step Up Cooperation” (with Jane Chan Git Yin), The Straits Times, 14 July 2021
• “The Quad Has Met: Now it Needs to Get to Work for Maritime Asia”, CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, 29 April 2021
• “Suga-Biden Summit Leaves Japan Driving Cooperation in Maritime Asia”, Tokyo Review, 26 April 2021
• “Southeast Asia: A New Strategic Nexus for Japan’s Maritime Strategy”, Regional Strategies Week, Center for International Maritime Security, 21 September 2020. Republished in Indo-Pacific Defense Forum
• “New Multilateralism for Maritime Southeast Asia: Getting More Value Per CARAT” (with Greg Adams , and Sean Quirk), War on the Rocks, 5 September 2016
• “The ‘Global Maritime Fulcrum’ and the U.S.-Indonesia Partnership” (with Sean Quirk), The Diplomat, 27 October 2015
• “Japan-China Maritime Confidence Building and Communications Mechanisms” (with James Przystup , and James Manicom), PACNET #67, CSIS PACFORUM, 20 August 2013

• Lightning Carriers, Sea Control podcast. Center for International Maritime Security, 10 Feb 2022
• Japan As a Maritime Power, Getting to Know Japan Webinar Series, Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnerships & YCAPS, 10 Feb 2022
• UK Indo-Pacific Tilt: Defence Implications and Regional Perspectives, International Institute of Strategic Studies, 25-26 Jan 2022.
• The US-Japan Alliance in Southeast Asia, The Mansfield Foundation, 20 Jan 2022
• PRC Security Force Posture in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, Report Launch Roundtable, hosted by US Institute for Peace, 13 Jan 2022
• Implications of AUKUS for Southeast Asia’s Seas, RSIS-South China Sea Probing Initiative, 10 Dec 2021
• The Implications of the AUKUS Alliance for Northeast Asia: More Alliance Building and an Accelerating Regional Arms Race?” 2021 Defense Information Sharing Meeting, Track 1.5 dialogue, sponsored by University of California Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, 2 Dec 2021
• The Ripple Effect: AUKUS and the Geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific,” ISAS-SPF Roundtable,” 29 Nov. Roundtable discussant
• Braveheart, Project Brazen Fat Leonard podcast, episode 4, 19 Oct 2021.
• Thirty years after the Cold War: Is another brewing and How to prevent one from breaking out into conflicts,” panel discussant, 13th South China Sea International Conference, sponsored by Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam 18 Nov 2021
•  “Maritime Capacity Building and Southeast Asia Lesson with John Bradford,“ Sea Control podcast, no. 282, Center for International Maritime Security,  7 Oct 2021.
• Challenges to Rule of Law in Maritime Southeast Asia: Perspectives for Extra-Regional Players, International Law and Rule of Law Approach in the Indo-Pacific Region, RSIS-Embassy of Japan panel webinar, 28 Sept 2021
• Defining Maritime Security: Regional Divergence and Commonalities,” RSIS Maritime Programme Roundtable, 21 Sept 2021.
• Rule of Law and Grey Zone Challenges in the Indo-Pacific, Honolulu International Forum, 28 Aug 2021.
• National Security and Opportunities for Collaboration, Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Conference, 28 July 2021.
• US Navy Posture on China’s Periphery: Is it Ready? invited talk, International Institute of Strategic Studies, 9 July 2021
• Current Development in the South China Sea: Towards Regional Peace & Security, 4th International High-Level Online Workshop: The Current Development in the South China Sea Towards Regional Peace and Security: ASEAN Perspective, Center for Contemporary Southeast Asian Studies, Jakarta, 8 July
• Navigating the Indo-Pacific, NIICE-USI Strategic Dialogue Series, 23 Feb 2021.
• Maritime Dimensions of the Quad, 2021 Defense Information Sharing Meeting, sponsored by UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, 4 Feb 2021.
• Maritime Security Challenges in Southeast Asia: Why Texans Should Care, Distinguished Speaker Series, Navy League of Greater Austin, 17 Dec 2020.
• Japan’s Energy Security and the US-Japan Alliance, Panelist, U.S.-Japan Roundtable Annual Washington Conference, sponsored by Atlantic Council and The Howard Baker Forum, 16 Dec 2020.
• The History of U.S. Anti-Piracy Activities in Asia and the role of Current Exercise, Japan Coast Guard Officer Training Program, Training ship Kojima, 16 July 2020. (cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic)
• Maritime Challenges in The Indo-Pacific – A New Normal Or Status Quo? webinar, Canadian Embassy Tokyo Weekly Post-COVID Challenges Series, 10 June 2020.
• Japan’s Strategy for Indo-Pacific Maritime Security, YCAPS-Pacific Forum Maritime Discussion Series #2, 28 Apr 2020.
• Mechanisms for Expanded Cooperation in the South China Sea and Capacity Building in Southeast Asia, panelist, Trilateral Forum Tokyo: A Japan-US-Europe Strategic Dialogue, sponsored by German Marshal Fund, Europa House, Tokyo, 13 Sept 2019.
• Regional Ocean Governance and Management, keynote speaker, Maritime Security Symposium 2019: Towards Effective Ocean Governance Through Regional Partnerships, hosted by Philippine Navy, Manila, 14 June 2019.
• Understanding 50 Years of Japanese Maritime Security Initiatives in Southeast Asia, public lecture, Maritime Institute of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur (19 Mar 2019) and Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies, Temple University Japan Campus, Tokyo (27 Sept 2018).
• Navies of the Indo-Pacific: Opportunities for Cooperation in a Competitive Environment, keynote speaker 5^th Maritime Security Symposium, Sasakawa Peace Foundation, Tokyo, 27 Aug 2018.
• Competing Explanations for Japan’s Proactive Role in Southeast Asian Maritime Security, public lecture, Security and International Studies Program, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Tokyo. 24 Aug 2018.
• Obstacles to Shipping at the Conflux of the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, conference paper, Eurasia Blue Belt Project, sponsored by Ocean Policy Research Institute, Shiba Park Hotel, Tokyo, 5 Feb 2018.
• Options for Trilateral Maritime Cooperation in Responses to the North Korean Threat, The North Korean Threat and the Japan-U.S. Alliance, public panel, Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies, Temple University Japan Campus, 30 Jan 2018.
• Low-Cost, High-Yield Opportunities for Europe’s Integration into Asia’s Security Activities, conference paper, Security Challenges in Asia and Europe in 2017, sponsored by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, Capitol Hotel Tokyu, Tokyo, 7 July 2017.
• Trilateral ROK-US-JAPAN Cooperation: Opportunities at Sea, conference paper, 14^th Korean Institute of Defense Analysis-National Defense University-National Institute of Defense Studies Trilateral Dialogue, National Institute of Defense Studies, Tokyo, 20 June 2017.
• How to Cooperate on Maritime Security? and Cooperation in the Indian Ocean: Beyond Aden, panel chair and commentator, Japan-NATO International Seminar: Cooperation Beyond Anti-Piracy, National Institute of Defense Studies, Tokyo, 13 March 2017.
• Long-term Security Challenges and Security Cooperation in Asia-Pacific/North East Asia, research presentation, U.K. Defence Concepts and Doctrine Centre Roundtable, British Embassy, Tokyo, 28 Feb 2017.
• Building Cooperation between Maritime Operations Centers, Southeast Asia Maritime Security Initiative Maritime Operations Center Training Course, U.S. Naval War College and 7^th Fleet, Fort Bonafacio, Manila, 4-9 Sept 2016.
• Modernizing Maritime Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific, seminar, Mansfield Foundation, Washington D.C., 2 June 2016.
• The Rising Tide of U.S. Multilateral Security Cooperation in Southeast Asia, conference paper, JIIA-CSIS Joint Open Seminar on Freedom of Navigation and Maritime Capacity Building, sponsored by Japan Institute of International Affairs and The Centre for Strategic Studies, Jakarta, 29 March 2016 (delivered by co-author Greg Adams).
• U.S. Seventh Fleet: Operationally Ready and Warfighting Focused, outreach seminar, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (28 April 2015), Sea Power Centre – Australia (9 July 2015), Canberra; Australia Strategic Policy Institute (June 2015), Canberra; Australian National Centre for Oceanographic Resources and Security, Wallongong, Australia (9 July 2015), and Korean Institute of Maritime Studies, Seoul (21 Aug 2015).
• Expanding Multilateral Maritime Exercises in Southeast Asia, roundtable presentation, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore, 15 March 2016 (with Greg Adams).
• Southeast Asian Anti-Piracy Efforts: The Role of Extra-Regional Partners, conference paper respondent, Regional Anti-Piracy Capacity Building conference, sponsored by the Asia Foundation and Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam. Fortuna Hotel, Hanoi, 13 Jan 2016.
• U.S. Maritime Exercises in Southeast Asia: A Strategic Assessment, conference paper, Maritime Security in Southeast Asia: Maritime Defense, sponsored by CSIS PACFORUM and the Habibie Center. Four Seasons Hotel, Jakarta, 27 Aug 2012.
• U.S. Maritime Strategy: Malacca Straits Piracy and South China Sea Issues, public lecture, sponsored by Malaysia-America Society; the ASEAN Studies Center, American University; and the Center for Asian Studies, American University. American University, Washington D.C. 2 March 2012.
• An American Perspective – Operation TOMODACHI and Crisis Management after the 3/11 Disaster, conference paper, 7^th U.S.- Japan Critical Infrastructure Protection Forum, sponsored by Vanderbilt University Center for U.S.-Japan Studies and Cooperation. Ronald Reagan Building, Washington D.C., 2 Dec 2011.
• United States Maritime Strategy: Implications for Indo-Pacific Sealanes, conference paper, 16^th International SLOC Group Conference. Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi, 1 Feb 2011.
• Asian Submarine Programs, panel discussant, Maritime Security Challenges 2008: Building Navies of the Future. Victoria, Canada, 17 Sept 2008.
• Piracy and Hijacking in Southeast Asian Waters: Trends and Challenges, conference paper, Maritime Security Challenges 2006: The New Asian Dynamism. Victoria, Canada, 28 Sept 2006.
• The Maritime Terror Threat in Southeast Asia: Will the Fire Spread in a Region Ablaze? public lecture, International Maritime & Port Security Conference, Singapore Convention Center, Singapore, 5 Aug 2004.
• Piracy in the Strait of Malacca, Australian Federal Police-ASEAN Police Forces Training Workshop, Singapore Police Cantonment, Singapore, March 2004.