Sponsored by:
Posted on 02/23/2015 4:09:45 PM PST by ckilmer
FedBiz Daily 
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is one program that emerged from Lockheed Martin Corp.'s Skunk Works, which has pulled back the curtain in an effort to attract talent and get credit for contributions to defense and aerospace.
15 photos
Lockheed Martin Corp.'s Advanced Development Programs group, better known as Skunk Works, has been ultra-secretive for decades. But it's undergoing a cultural shift, with its chief pulling back the curtain in an attempt to attract top talent.
That's clear from a look at the Lockheed (NYSE: LMT) website Monday, which now features a splashy rundown of Skunk Works' approach, accomplishments and opportunities. That never would've happened a year ago.
Of course, this isn't to say Rob Weiss, Skunk Works' executive vice president and general manager, is opening up about the group's portfolio of projects. In all, about 80 percent of the group's work is classified, he told me during Lockheed's media day last week. But he's excited to talk about the other 20 percent and about how Skunk Works functions.
"You probably are aware that we often don't speak publicly," he said. "But since I've been in the job I felt it was important to communicate our message to remind the general public and national leaders that the Skunk Works has a clear vision for the future. That's why we're talking today and have been for a while now."
Indeed, you might call this a marketing plan.
"We want to point out to the young women and men graduating from colleges and universities, that Skunk Works is a great place to come work on the most innovative defense and aerospace initiatives in the country," Weiss added.
Looking backward, the Pentagon has Skunk Works to thank for the the U2 high-altitude surveillance airplane, the SR-71 Blackbird long-range reconnaissance aircraft and the F-117 Nighthawk stealth ground-attack aircraft. And then there's the stealth fighters F-22 and F-35, of course, both of which emerged from Skunk Works (The group takes its name from when, during its infancy in the 1940s, it worked out of a rented circus tent next to a manufacturing plant that produced a strong odor. Early staffers adopted the name "Skonk Works," a secretive and malodorous place from the popular comic "Li'l Abner." Staffers later changed it to Skunk Works.).
As for what's next, Weiss pointed to the group's efforts over the last five years to develop a new design for the Air Force's Trainer-X program, which I reported about last week. Also, he noted advances in stealth, sensors and open architecture designs. Some of that will be retrofitted into the F-22 and F-35. But some developments will also contribute to the next fighter that will follow those fifth-generation aircraft.
Yes, those developments for a F-35 replacement are already underway.
"There will be a time in the future where a new platform will come online," Weiss said. "And we're very much involved in that next generation as well. It requires being in the gray area if you will; it's not an F-35 or F-22 forever. But you have to look at where the threat is taking us, where technology is, and how it's maturing, and then make decisions along the way."
The long-range strike bomber is among the classified programs Skunk Works supports. Weiss provided few details, but did point to the advantages that come from the partnership between The Boeing Co. and Lockheed.
"Strong prime contractors coming together as a team is what's been key to developing those programs, [offering] complementary technologies, and the financial wherewithal to invest and support those kinds of programs," Weiss said. "Boeing leverages the commercial work they've done over the years, and Lockheed can leverage the F-35 work."
Amazing what was done pre-computer throughout history.
Tell him to read the book about the Skunk Works, and how they developed and modeled the radar evading designs. Now THAT is a great story. (The Russians actually discovered it and published their their results, but did not understand its significance.)
I later worked with an Electrical Engineer who had worked there at the time - he had nothing to say about what they did, but a lot to say about how they did it. It is a great challenge to be a part of something like that - go for it!!
Location, location....if that home were in my state it might be listed for $350,000....and be lucky to get $290,000...that’s all folks!
Location??
They’re probably 2 degrees where that house is sitting...You’d have to be pretty stupid and on the government payroll to spend nearly a million on that cracker box.
Thanks for the ping. Apparently, they are having difficulty finding and recruiting the kind of engineers they need.
Kinda knew this was coming...there is an age factor, but there’s also the denigration factor.
Those who work in the Skunk Works do so with no glory, recognition or thanks for their work...kinda hard to convince young folks these days to work in relative obscurity.
And then to have one’s efforts compared to $hit day in and day out while being accused of stealing from the taxpayer...sure, sign me up.
The upside is that, at least for now, you have to be a citizen or at least on your way to becoming a citizen in order to work in aerospace. The aerospace companies would love to offshore lots of work or use H-1b's to cut costs, but the government is more afraid of technology theft than busting budgets right now.
Thanks for link to the book.
I’m on it!
Heh, heh...still have the slide rule my Dad gave me at HS graduation.
German Albert Nestler, about 12” long, ivory scales, boxwood, with legends printed in German, housed in nice wooden case. The cursor is glass with chromed frame.
EMP hardened
Dad got while at Rhein-Main during Berlin Airlift for a pack of Luckies.
Dad got while at Rhein-Main during Berlin Airlift for a pack of Luckies’..............
Jeeze Louise, thems some serus bragging rights.
Sehr gut.
I’ve always said, whatever they let you see is at least one generation behind what they’ve got working, and several generations behind what they’re working on.
I still have and use a slide rule that I used in Electronic classes in 1962 and 1963.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.