real-time data and fleet feedback on the fielded weapon system, and the associated program delays and potential for career repercussions— creates a powerful, intrinsic incen- tive to focus on sustainment from the very beginning. PILKERTON is the director for Industrial Infra- structure in the Office of the Deputy Assis- tant Secretary of the Navy for Sustainment. He supports the application of the MDAP process to the Navy’s three Industrial Infra- structure Optimization Plans, including the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Plan. Pilkerton’s previous position was the director of Organic Industrial Base Policy in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Materiel Readiness where he managed policy matters relating to Title 10 depot main- tenance requirements, including core logis- tics capabilities. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the College of William and Mary and is Level III-certified in the Life Cycle Logistics and Business and Cost Estimating Financial Management career fields.
The author can be contacted at randy.s.pilkerton.civ@us.navy.mil .
The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the Department of War. Reproduction or reposting of articles from Defense Acquisition magazine should credit the authors and the magazine.
The Gate 7 Sustainment Review effectively closes the accountability loop, utilizing the early analytical work by which a program’s readiness is measured.
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Further, it increases emphasis on data analytics, digital sustainment, and a deeper integration of sustain- ment into every program phase. It formalizes requirements for product support managers to continuously assess and manage a system’s readi- ness, ensuring sustainment is not just a review point but a constant, data- driven capability for the fleet. These additions directly prove that the DON’s commitment to life-cycle readiness is not static but a living and evolving doctrine that contin- ues strengthening the link between a program’s initial fielding and its long-term viability. The explicit intent of the Gate 7 Sustainment Review is not merely to check boxes but to pro- vide senior leadership with a compre-
hensive, objective, and continuous assessment of a program’s logistics and sustainment readiness. The re- view ensures that the program has not deviated from its core logistics determinations and has established the necessary public and private partnerships to execute the sustain- ment strategy. It is the point at which a program office must provide tangi - ble evidence that it has secured the necessary funding, personnel, and infrastructure to support the fleet. The Gate 7 Sustainment Review effectively closes the accountabil- ity loop, utilizing the early analyti- cal work as the standard by which a program’s readiness is measured. The prospect of a failed Gate 7 Sus- tainment Review—largely driven by
– (LOG 0050) Developing a Life Cycle Sustainment Plan (LCSP) (Online Training Course) – (LOG 0470) Sustaining Engineering (Online Training Course) – (LOG 1050) Fundamentals of Systems Sustainment Management (Online Training Course) – (LOG 2060) Intermediate Systems Sustainment Management (Online Training Course)
MARCH – APRIL 2026 | DEFENSE ACQUISITION MAGAZINE 39
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