Bill Saathoff

Director, Advanced Manufacturing Technology & Development
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics

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Bill Saathoff is Director of Production Engineering and Technology for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics (LMA). He is responsible for the development of all Production Engineering people, processes, and tools to support current and future LMA programs. In this capacity, he has oversight of all manufacturing engineering, planning, tooling and manufacturing technology personnel and processes.

Mr. Saathoff has worked more than 15 years at Lockheed Martin in operations and engineering roles, developing manufacturing methods, systems, and advanced materials. He has worked extensively in key programs such as F35, F22, F16, as well as several years in hypersonics research as manufacturing lead for the X30 program. He also served as Program Manager for Air Force Research Library-funded research programs in Manufacturing Simulations, as well as Integrated Product Team (IPT) lead for the early Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) effort, leading the Airframe Affordability Demonstration, which established technologies and designs to meet JSF affordability goals.

After departing Lockheed Martin in 2000 and prior to his return in 2009, Mr. Saathoff spent 10 years in general aviation with Hawker Beechcraft (formally Raytheon Aircraft). He served in several roles including Transition to Production Manager for the Premier Business Jet, Plant Director of Composites Manufacturing, Operations Program Manager of the Clean Sheet Hawker 450 and Program Manager of International Production, establishing new facilities and suppliers in Japan, Brazil, Mexico and the United Kingdom.