Canberra, Australia, 10 September 2020 – Lockheed Martin Australia (LMA) has appointed John Chandler as the new Director of the Future Submarine Program Combat System Integration (FSP-CSI) to lead the design of the combat system for the Attack Class submarine.

John will take over the role from the inaugural director, Mike Oliver, who will return to the United States following his tenure with the Program, which has seen collaboration with the Australian Department of Defence and Naval Group Australia to establish a large sustainable and highly skilled submarine workforce for Lockheed Martin in Australia.

“We are committed to having the best stewardship team in place for the Attack Class Future Submarine Program and this is evidenced through a trusted Defence partnership, a strong sovereign industry capability, and ready access to U.S. capabilities and experience if required,” Joe North, Chief Executive Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand said.

“Lockheed Martin Australia has a robust and resilient defence industry capability that has developed steadily and purposefully through mutually beneficial partnerships based on a commitment to technology transfer and up-skilling.”

“We’ve strategically grown our Future Submarine sovereign industry workforce from two employees in 2016 to 200 in 2020, and our new leadership appointments will further enhance our sovereign commitment to our employees, industry partners and the Commonwealth,” Mr. North said.

“I’d like to acknowledge Mike Oliver’s remarkable leadership of the Program as Director since 2016, where he has led the development of a highly skilled submarine workforce and sovereign industrial capability, oversaw numerous subcontract awards, established new industrial partnerships, and helped create the Combat Systems Laboratory at Mawson Lakes in Adelaide.”

“I congratulate John Chandler on his leadership appointment to the Program and I am confident he will continue to maintain the enduring partnerships needed to design, build, test, and integrate what will become one of the world’s most advanced submarine combat systems,” Mr. North said.

John’s career spans over 30 years of experience in program management and submarine combat system development, engineering, operation, and support to Lockheed Martin Australia. In addition to holding a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and a master’s degree in Management, John brings a solid record of accomplishment, a strong network within the Australian defence community, and a reputation for exceptional leadership to the Future Submarine Program. 

About Lockheed Martin Australia

Headquartered in Canberra, Lockheed Martin Australia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation. The company employs more than 1000 people in Australia working on a wide range of major programs spanning the aerospace, defence and civil sectors.

Media Contact:

Michelle Scully, +61 448 032 387; michelle.m.scully@lmco.com