JR McDonald

J.R. McDonald is vice president of Business Development for the Integrated Fighter Group at Lockheed Martin. In this capacity, he is responsible for capturing and sustaining new business across the Integrated Fighter Group product portfolio, including the F-16, F-22 and other platforms. A Lockheed Martin employee for 17 years, J.R. previously served as vice president, Joint Strike Fighter for Lockheed Martin Government Affairs, where he led a nationwide team in partnership with all F-35 customer stakeholders. He has also served in various roles in Corporate Strategy and Business Development, including vice president of the Joint Customer Focus Team and Air Force Customer focus team. He was the lead corporate executive overseeing the stand-up and initial operations of the first F-35 base at Eglin Air Force Base. He also served as the director, F22 program for Lockheed Martin Government Affairs, serving as the subject matter expert for Congress on the Raptor program. Prior to joining Lockheed Martin, J.R. served as a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force. He was an instructor and Mission Commander in the F-15C, served as a U.S. Air Force F-15 demonstration pilot, and he was the 7th Air Force’s Chief of Air Superiority in Korea. He also spent time on the Air Combat Command staff in the F-22 requirements division, where he was the chief of training and avionics. He has piloted more than 3,000 hours in several fighter aircraft including 167 combat hours over Iraq. J.R. holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology/Law from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has served as a trustee of the Air Force Academy’s Falcon Foundation and is a member of the Air Force Association.