The USAF’s Dan Christianson (Director of Engineering, USAF, 748 SCMG) presents a practical systems engineering perspective based on a profoundly different strategy when it comes to maintaining superiority. Instead of an expensive and time-consuming wholesale pursuit of bleeding edge technology, why not focus on faster insertion of less advanced technology in response to the our adversaries’ fast pace of change.

Sustainment Symposium 2020 hosted by GDCA is a special virtual symposium focused on the journey from obsolescence management to legacy sustainment. In this symposium, we pull together leading minds across the DoD supply chain highlighting their relevant sustainment experiences and exploring what could happen when we begin to focus on sustainment as the object.

Dan W. Christenson is the founding Director of Engineering of the 748th Supply Chain Management Group, Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Through its five Squadrons, Mr. Christenson leads 120 engineers, executes an Air Force Supply Chain Planning and Execution budget of $1.2B and maintains 1/3 of the USAF supply chain including 23,900 spare parts for 34 unique weapon systems including Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, 19 Space & Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence systems, most of the Air Force weapon system’s landing gear, wheels, brakes, secondary power systems and weapon system specific structural and avionics systems for the F-16, A-10, T-38 and other mature and proven aircraft systems. The group is assigned to the 448th Supply Chain Management Wing, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma.