Commodore Lybrand joined the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in 1990 as an Apprentice at HMAS Nirimba. He was commissioned as an Officer in 1993. Then he completed the Seaman Officers Application Course in 1996 and gained his Bridge Watchkeeping Certificate on board HMAS Protector before transferring to the submarine force in 1997.
From 2012 to late 2014, Lybrand commanded the Guided Missile Submarine, HMAS Dechaineux. Then he became Commander Task Group 627.0/Director Submarine Operations, leading Australian submarine operations and underwater warfare between 2015 and 2018.
In 2019, Lybrand held command on operations during 2019 as the Maritime Task Group Commander on Operation Manitou, working to the Commander Joint Task Force 633. He shared a dual role within the United States Fifth Fleet as the Director of Operations for the Combined Maritime Forces, a coalition of 33 nations assigned to maritime security in the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea and Red Sea.
Lybrand has also conducted strategic headquarters roles as the Staff Officer Special Programs, Project Director for Phase 1 of the Submarine Continuous Improvement Project and has served as the Chief of Staff to the Chief of the Defence Force.
