Chief Operating Officer, Lockheed Martin
Search every verified Frank John interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Frank St. John, Chief Operating Officer of Lockheed Martin, said in July 2025 that the world is "in probably the beginning of a 3 to 5 year surge in defense spending," particularly in Europe, and that budgets "are going to be pretty substantial" over that period. He stated that Lockheed Martin is "really proud to be part of bringing President Trump's vision to pass" regarding the proposed "Golden Dome" missile defense system, and described a three-to-four-year timeline for fielding a basic capability as "very realistic." St. John also noted that the company's supply chain is "the thing that is pacing the ramp-up of capabilities" and that the industrial base remains "fragile" following the pandemic and recent conflicts. St. John has discussed Lockheed Martin's expansion in India, stating the company has built a supply chain ecosystem with over 500 suppliers over 15 years and has exported $700 million from the country. He said the company aims to "start delivering platforms out of India" and produce munitions there, which he said could increase revenue and exports "by an order of magnitude over the next 3 to 5 years." In a 2024 interview, St. John said the company has been able to work with administrations as they transition, and that its mission is to "provide effective deterrence capability." He also described managing the corporation by organizing and communicating strategy through a large organization, and said he prioritizes making teammates and customers successful.
“I would say we are in probably the beginning of a 3 to 5 year surge in defense spending, especially here in Europe. Now we're starting to see those budgets come into play in the European countries as well as some increases back in the US domestically, so I think for the next 3 to 5 years budgets are going to be pretty...”
“As the world's leader in integrated air and missile defense, Lockheed Martin is really proud to be part of bringing President Trump's vision to pass, and there are a lot of existing capabilities be it space-based sensing, command and control, surface-based sensing and others that have been proven in conflict. The real...”
“We definitely think something can be fielded on a rapid pace. When you say rapid I know the time frame of 3 to four years has been thrown out there. Is that realistic? Yes it's very realistic to have a basic capability on the field within a couple of years and then in parallel be developing the more advanced threat det...”
“Lockheed Martin is really proud to be part of bringing President Trump's vision to pass. There are a lot of existing capabilities, be it space-based sensing, command and control, surface-based sensing and detectors that have been proven in conflict over the last several years that are already in existence.”
“Lockheed Martin really differentiates itself when it comes to innovation and developing new technologies, applying those technologies not only in aerospace and defense but also integrating big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence to benefit our customers with demanding missions for the safety and prosperi...”
“Managing a 120,000 person corporation is about organizing and communicating strategy and alignment through a large organization, working closely with a team of eight to ten people who then have their own teams and responsibilities.”
“The best business is to meet your customer's greatest need; we focus every day on the threats our customers face and how to apply technology in a safe, affordable, and reliable way to meet those needs, which then leads to good business outcomes.”
“If I keep my eye on making my teammates successful and benefiting our customers and shareholders, my success is taken care of; I put myself at the bottom of the list in terms of priorities, focusing on customers, shareholders, and teammates.”
“One of the key pieces of advice I've received over the years is to trust God through the whole process, believing He has a plan and purpose, and His favor has been a big part of what has happened in my life.”
“When my parents passed away, we faced disposing of their home which had appreciated significantly over 40 years; through conversations with financial advisors, we used a realty gift fund to deed the property, avoid tax liabilities on appreciation, and donate the balance to our donor-advised fund, which was a straightfo...”
“The donor-advised fund is a great way to take highly appreciated assets and create a channel for giving generously over time, even after retirement, helping to create a long-lasting legacy and benefit others.”
“As our net worth and resources have grown, we have continued to work with our financial advisors because of their personal attention, professionalism, and steady hand, valuing this relationship as one of the most important we have.”
“We're now looking to take the next step and start delivering platforms out of India — not just the emp for the C-130 but the entire aircraft — and also start producing munitions organically here in India. We think that will increase our revenue and our exports out of India by an order of magnitude over the next 3 to 5...”
“We started in India a little more than 15 years ago and have grown a supply-chain ecosystem that includes more than 500 suppliers; 70–80% of those suppliers are now part of our global supply chain, and we've had $700 million of exports so far — we expect significantly more.”
“We think that that is going to probably increase our revenue and our export out of India by an order of magnitude and we think that that's possible over the next 3 to 5 years.”
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A thought-provoking discussion at the #USISPFIndiaSummit2024 on "Strengthening Bilateral Trade Ties: Opportunities and Challenges" with insights from Mr. Frank St. John, Chief Operating Officer of Lockheed Martin, and Mr. Michael Miebach, Chief Executive Officer of Mastercard. The session was moderated by Ms. Menaka Doshi, Senior Editor at Bloomberg India. Mr. St. John highlighted Lockheed Martin's growth in India, sharing that the company has built a robust supply chain ecosystem with over 500 suppliers over the last 15 years. He discussed their plans for significant expansion, aiming to del…
Fireside Chat on Strengthening Bilateral Trade Ties – the Opportunities and Challenges, with Mr. Frank St. John , Chief Operating ...
CNBC’s Phil LeBeau and Lockheed Martin COO Frank St. John join 'Squawk Box' to discuss the 2024 election, state of defense spending, F-35 delivery timeline, impact of inflation, and more.
Lockheed Martin COO Frank St. John joins CNBC's Phil Lebeau live from the Paris Air Show to discuss the defense spending environment and the outlook for the company. For access to live and exclusive video from CNBC subscribe to CNBC PRO: https://cnb.cx/2NGeIvi » Subscribe to CNBC TV: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBCtelevision » Subscribe to CNBC: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBC Turn to CNBC TV for the latest stock market news and analysis. From market futures to live price updates CNBC is the leader in business news worldwide. Connect with CNBC News Online Get the latest news: http://www.cnbc.com…
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