FORT WORTH, Texas, April 8, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company [NYSE: LMT] announced that Jeff Babione has been selected to serve as vice president and deputy program manager of the F-35 Lightning II program. Bridget Lauderdale, vice president and general manager of Aeronautics Operations, will lead the F-16/F-22 Integrated Fighter Group (IFG) programs in an acting capacity until a permanent replacement for Babione is named. Both appointments are effective immediately.

"Jeff's experience of managing both the world's first 5th generation fighter program and the F-16, a complex, international multirole fighter program upon which the F-35 is modeled, makes him uniquely prepared to step into this new role and deliver an immediate impact from day one," said Orlando Carvalho, Lockheed Martin executive vice president of Aeronautics.  

"Bridget is a proven leader capable of handling multiple priorities and delivering results. 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 Carvalho.

"I believe Jeff brings the perfect blend of leadership and experience to the F-35 team, and I'm excited about working with him to continue to build a team that delivers all of the F-35 capabilities to our customers," said Lorraine Martin, executive vice president and general manager for the F-35 program.

As vice president and general manager of the F-16/F-22 IFG, Babione was responsible for all aspects of the development, manufacture and sustainment of the highly successful F-16 Fighting Falcon multirole fighter and the F-22 Raptor air dominance fighter programs. He joined Lockheed Martin more than 20 years ago after working at Boeing on the initial structural design analysis of the YF-22 prototype. Babione worked his way through the ranks of the Raptor program and from 2006 to 2010 he served as the program's chief engineer. During his tenure as engineering lead, the Raptor Team and Lockheed Martin were awarded the Robert J. Collier Trophy for the most significant achievement in American aerospace. Babione holds a bachelor's degree in Aerospace and Ocean Engineering from Virginia Tech, a master's degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Washington and an MBA from the University of Tennessee.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs about 120,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products, and services.  The Corporation's net sales for 2012 were $47.2 billion.

SOURCE Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company