Lt. Gen. Michael J. Schmidt is the Program Executive Officer and Director for the F-35 Lightning II Program. In this capacity, he leads the F-35 Joint Program Office in the life-cycle program management of the F-35A, F-35B and F-35C, the 5th Generation strike fighter of choice for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, seven international partners and twelve current Foreign Military Sales customers.
Lt. Gen. Schmidt entered the Air Force in 1991 after graduating from Iowa State University as an industrial engineer and ROTC distinguished graduate. He served in numerous engineering, program management and leadership positions. He worked as a Lockheed Martin program manager via the Education with Industry program. He served as Aide-de-Camp to the Commander of Air Force Materiel Command, both an Air Force Legislative and Appropriations Liaison, the F-35 Program Element Monitor, an advisor to the Afghan national army, and commanded the 696th Armament Systems Squadron. Lt. Gen. Schmidt then served as Deputy for Tactical Aircraft Systems in the Office of the Secretary of Defense and as Senior Materiel Leader for Contractor Logistics Support Division at Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center. He also served as Program Executive Officer for Fixed Wing Programs at U.S. Special Operations Command; Program Executive Officer for Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Special Operations Forces at Air Force Materiel Command; Program Executive Officer for Fighters and Bombers; and, most recently, as Program Executive Officer for Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence and Networks. He is a graduate of the Air Force Legislative Fellows Program and the National War College.
EDUCATION
1990 Bachelor of Science, Industrial Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames
1993 U.S. Army Air Assault School, Fort Rucker, Ala.
1995 Master of Business Administration, Finance - with distinction, Bentley College, Waltham, Mass.
1997 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala
2001 Advanced Program Managers Course, Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, Va.
2003 Certificate in Legislative Studies, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
2003 Legislative Fellow, Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
2008 Master of National Security Strategy, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2011 Executive Program Managers Course, Defense Acquisition University, Fort Belvoir, Va.
2012 U.S. Air Force Leadership Enhancement Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Greensboro, N.C.
2016 Senior Acquisition Management Course, Defense Acquisition University, Fort Belvoir, Va.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 1991–April 1992, Deputy Program Manager, Joint Tactical Information Distribution System Navy Integration, JTIDS Joint Program Office, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass.
2. May 1992–March 1994, JTIDS Production Program Manager, JTIDS Joint Program Office, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
3. April 1994–August 1995, E-8C Aircraft Production Program Manager, Joint Strategic Target Attack Radar System Joint Program Office, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
4. September 1995–June 1996, Fire Control Systems Program Manager (Education with Industry), Lockheed Martin Electronics and Missiles, Orlando, Fla.
5. July 1996–July 1997, F-22 Legislation and Oversight Program Manager, F-22 System Program Office, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
6. August 1997–May 1999, F-22 Edges and Empennage IPT Lead, F-22 System Program Office, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
7. June 1999–May 2000, Commander's Action Team Lead, Directorate of Requirements, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio
8. June 2000–August 2001, Aide-de-Camp to the Commander, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
9. September 2001–September 2002, Chief, Congressional Relations, Office of Air Force Legislative Liaison, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
10. October 2002–July 2003, Air Force Legislative Fellow, Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
11. August 2003–June 2005, Joint Strike Fighter (F-35) Lead Program Element Monitor, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
12. July 2005–July 2007, Commander, 696th Armament Systems Squadron (AIM-120D), Eglin AFB, Fla. (September 2006–January 2007, Program Analysis Team Chief, CJ-8, Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan, Kabul, Afghanistan)
13. August 2007–June 2008, Student, National War College, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
14. July 2008–June 2010, Deputy for Tactical Aircraft Systems, Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Program Systems Acquisition, Air Warfare, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
15. July 2010–May 2011, Chief, Contractor Logistics Support Sustainment Division, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, Tinker AFB, Okla.
16. May 2011–July 2014, Program Executive Officer for Fixed Wing Programs, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.
17. July 2014–April 2016, Program Executive Officer for Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Special Operations Forces, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
18. April 2016–April 2018, Program Executive Officer for Fighters and Bombers, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio
19. April 2018–July 2022, Program Executive Officer for Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence and Networks, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Air Force Materiel Command, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
20. July 2022–present, Program Executive Officer, F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office, Arlington, Va.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 2006–January 2007, Program Analysis Team Chief, CJ-8, Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan, Kabul, Afghanistan, as a lieutenant colonel
2. July 2008–June 2010, Deputy for Tactical Aircraft Systems, Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, Program Systems Acquisition, Air Warfare, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va., as a lieutenant colonel and a colonel
3. May 2011–July 2014, Program Executive Officer for Fixed Wing Programs, U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., as a colonel
4. July 2022–present, Program Executive Officer, F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office, Arlington, Va. as a lieutenant general
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters
Joint Service Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air and Space Achievement Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
(Current as of July 2025)