Lockheed Martin has named John Clark as vice president and general manager of Advanced Development Programs (ADP) – also known as Skunk Works.

Clark succeeds Jeff Babione who will retire at the end of the month.

"John's extensive experience in engineering and his previous Skunk Works assignments uniquely qualifies and positions him to step in and lead this team as they continue to build on the innovative legacy the Skunk Works are known for," said Greg Ulmer, executive vice president, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. "He is focused on building customer relationships and collaboration across the business to bring the best of Lockheed Martin to address the rapidly evolving threat environment."

A Lockheed Martin employee for more than 23 years, Clark most recently served as vice president Engineering & Technology, where he ensured the technical integrity of Aeronautics' products and processes, supported technical concept development, and led the development and resourcing of more than 8,000 engineers. He also served as vice president of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance & Unmanned Aircraft Systems (ISR&UAS) for the Skunk Works.

He holds a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and a master's degree in Business Administration from Texas Christian University.

"I want to congratulate Jeff Babione for his many significant contributions to Lockheed Martin. With nearly 30 years of service with the company, Jeff's had the unique experience of working across our fighter programs supporting the development, production and sustainment of our F-16, F-22, and F-35," said Ulmer. "Jeff has led with a strong commitment to supporting our warfighters, which made him a natural fit at the Skunk Works where he demonstrated the foundational principles of the organization – quick, quiet, and quality."

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