Jeff Babione, Lockheed Martin‘s (NYSE: LMT) former vice president and general manager of the F-16 and F-22 integrated fighter group, has been appointed vice president and deputy program manager of the F-35 program.
Bridget Lauderdale, VP and GM of aeronautics operations, has succeeded Babione in his former roles on an acting basis and both appointments are effective immediately, Lockheed said Monday.
Lauderdale will help lead the F-16 and F-22 leadership positions until the company appoints Babione’s successor.
“Her past record leading F-16/F-2/T-50 and F-22 product development will be invaluable as she takes on the added responsibility of overseeing the IFG until a permanent successor is named in the coming weeks, ” said Orlando Carvalho, executive vice president of aeronautics.
In his former role, Babione led a team responsible for developing, manufacturing and sustaining the F-16 and F-22 jets.
Carvalho said Babione’s experience in the F-16 program helped prepare him to lead the F-35 program, which the company modeled off of the F-16.
Babione, a 20-year company veteran, has also served as chief engineer for the F-22 Raptor program from 2006 to 2010, among other positions in the program.
During his tenure as engineering lead, the team and the company won the Robert J. Collier Trophy, the National Aeronautics Association’s award for the most significant achievement in American aerospace.
Babione was previously a structural design analyst for the YF-22 prototype at Boeing (NYSE: BA).
