Lockheed Martin, the nation’s largest defense contractor, announced Wednesday that it has appointed Kevin O’Connor as general counsel, hiring him away from Carrier, where he’s been chief legal officer for five years.

The Bethesda, Maryland-based maker of military jets and missiles said that O’Connor, who also will have the title senior vice president and corporate secretary, will start Jan. 13. He is succeeding Maryanne Lavan, who will retire on March 31. Lavan joined the company in 1990 and steadily rose through the legal department’s leadership ranks, becoming GC in 2010.