About Systems and Software Engineering

Biography: Gordon M. Kranz, Director, Systems and Software Engineering

Mr. Gordon M. Kranz was appointed to the Senior Executive Service and now serves as the Director, Systems and Software Engineering in the Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (DUSD) for Acquisition and Technology (A&T). Mr. Kranz is the Department of Defense focal point for all policy, practice, and procedural matters relating to systems and software engineering, and their key elements to include test and evaluation, technical risk management, software engineering, manufacturing and production, quality, system assurance and related disciplines.

Mr. Kranz has more than 26 years of defense acquisition experience including 10 years as an acquisition program manager for the United States Air Force and 16 years in private industry as a senior technical lead and program manager. He has worked on a wide variety of major acquisition programs across all services. The programs he was involved with include: tactical communications, joint service acquisition, Communications System Segment Replacement for Cheyenne Mountain and fighter programs including the F-22 development, and the F-18E/F upgrade. Mr. Kranz most recently was Senior Program Manager on the Future Combat Systems Integrated Computer Program where the use of unattended ground sensors and unmanned vehicles is being more tightly integrated into the current Army combat vehicles force.

Mr. Kranz has a strong technical background and program acquisition experience as both a Systems Engineer and Senior Program Manager. He has held increasingly responsible positions, including Chief Engineer at General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, where he was awarded the General Dynamics President Technology Award in 2004 for Systems Engineering and Systems Architecture work for the Future Combat Systems program. Mr. Kranz is a certified Program Management Professional (PMP).

Mr. Kranz received a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from North Dakota State University in 1982 and a Masters of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 1990.