skunk-works-power-plasma-team
PROGRAM dossier

Power & Plasma Team

Power & Plasma Team

PROGRAM Fusion Physics Also: Power & Plasma Team, Skunk Works plasma team, RTP plasma

01 Executive_Summary

The 'Power & Plasma Team' at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works is STILL ACTIVE in 2026, years after the CFR was supposedly cancelled. EVIDENCE: (1) February 2023 job posting: 'Computational Plasma Physicist - Skunk Works Level 3' (Req# 619617BR) — 'Our Power & Plasma Team is filled with passionate Engineers... as we invent and develop technologies for the air platforms of the future.' 'As part of the Revolutionary Technology Program, you will contribute to the development of technologies for platforms 15-30 years in the future.' (2) June 29, 2026 job posting: 'Pulsed Power Engineer Sr (Level 3)' (Job ID: 733584BR) — 'You will be the Senior Pulsed Power Engineer for the Power & Plasma Team which is responsible for developing advanced pulsed power and plasma technologies for future air platforms.' 'Design, prototype, and fabricate pulsed power electronics and associated control hardware.' 'Create and maintain data acquisition systems and control software for plasma physics experiments.' 'MUST BE A U.S. CITIZEN - This position is located at a facility that requires special access.' The 'Revolutionary Technology Program' is the SAME program that housed the CFR. Bradley Sommers (LinkedIn): transitioned from 'Aeronautical Engineer, Sr' in 'Revolutionary Technology Programs' (Jul 2016 - Mar 2020) to 'Research Scientist' (Jan 2021 - Present) at Palmdale. KEY QUESTION: If the CFR was genuinely cancelled in 2020, why is the Power & Plasma Team still hiring plasma physicists and pulsed power engineers in 2023 and 2026?

03 Deep_Dive_Intelligence

Overview

The 'Power & Plasma Team' at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works is STILL ACTIVE in 2026, years after the CFR was supposedly cancelled. EVIDENCE: (1) February 2023 job posting: 'Computational Plasma Physicist - Skunk Works Level 3' (Req# 619617BR) — 'Our Power & Plasma Team is filled with passionate Engineers... as we invent and develop technologies for the air platforms of the future.' 'As part of the Revolutionary Technology Program, you will contribute to the development of technologies for platforms 15-30 years in the future.' (2) June 29, 2026 job posting: 'Pulsed Power Engineer Sr (Level 3)' (Job ID: 733584BR) — 'You will be the Senior Pulsed Power Engineer for the Power & Plasma Team which is responsible for developing advanced pulsed power and plasma technologies for future air platforms.' 'Design, prototype, and fabricate pulsed power electronics and associated control hardware.' 'Create and maintain data acquisition systems and control software for plasma physics experiments.' 'MUST BE A U.S. CITIZEN - This position is located at a facility that requires special access.' The 'Revolutionary Technology Program' is the SAME program that housed the CFR. Bradley Sommers (LinkedIn): transitioned from 'Aeronautical Engineer, Sr' in 'Revolutionary Technology Programs' (Jul 2016 - Mar 2020) to 'Research Scientist' (Jan 2021 - Present) at Palmdale. KEY QUESTION: If the CFR was genuinely cancelled in 2020, why is the Power & Plasma Team still hiring plasma physicists and pulsed power engineers in 2023 and 2026?

Entity Type: Program — Power & Plasma Team is a government or defense program/initiative.


Network Relationships

Power & Plasma Team connects to 4 entities in the intelligence network:

Events (1):

  • Skunk Works® CFR Program: Successor to CFR — same Revolutionary Technology Program

Organisations (1):

Programs (2):

  • MARAUDER: Pulsed power + plasma = MARAUDER lineage continuation
  • RTP Portfolio: RTP is the parent org of Power & Plasma Team

Source Documents

Intelligence derived from 4 source documents:

  • talentify.io — Computational Plasma Physicist job posting (Req# 619617BR)
  • lockheedmartinjobs.com — Pulsed Power Engineer Sr job posting (Job ID: 733584BR, June 29, 2026)
  • LinkedIn — Bradley Sommers profile
  • LinkedIn — Jonathan Walker profile (CFR Group, Jan 2017 - Jan 2019)

05 Related_Entities (4)

07 Key_Findings

  • Entity Type: Program — Power & Plasma Team is a government or defense program/initiative.
  • → Skunk Works® CFR Program: Successor to CFR — same Revolutionary Technology Program
  • → Lockheed Martin Skunk Works®: Skunk Works Palmdale — still hiring 2026
  • → MARAUDER: Pulsed power + plasma = MARAUDER lineage continuation
  • ← RTP Portfolio: RTP is the parent org of Power & Plasma Team

09 Timeline_Mentions (6)

View Full Timeline →

10 FAQ

What is Power & Plasma Team?
The 'Power & Plasma Team' at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works is STILL ACTIVE in 2026, years after the CFR was supposedly cancelled. EVIDENCE: (1) February 2023 job posting: 'Computational Plasma Physicist - Skunk Works Level 3' (Req# 619617BR) — 'Our Power & Plasma Team is filled with passionate Engineers... as we invent and develop technologies for the air platforms of the future.' 'As part of the Revolutionary Technology Program, you will contribute to the development of technologies for platforms 15-30 years in the future.' (2) June 29, 2026 job posting: 'Pulsed Power Engineer Sr (Level 3)' (Job ID: 733584BR) — 'You will be the Senior Pulsed Power Engineer for the Power & Plasma Team which is responsible for developing advanced pulsed power and plasma technologies for future air platforms.' 'Design, prototype, and fabricate pulsed power electronics and associated control hardware.' 'Create and maintain data acquisition systems and control software for plasma physics experiments.' 'MUST BE A U.S. CITIZEN - This position is located at a facility that requires special access.' The 'Revolutionary Technology Program' is the SAME program that housed the CFR. Bradley Sommers (LinkedIn): transitioned from 'Aeronautical Engineer, Sr' in 'Revolutionary Technology Programs' (Jul 2016 - Mar 2020) to 'Research Scientist' (Jan 2021 - Present) at Palmdale. KEY QUESTION: If the CFR was genuinely cancelled in 2020, why is the Power & Plasma Team still hiring plasma physicists and pulsed power engineers in 2023 and 2026?
What is Power & Plasma Team connected to?
Power & Plasma Team is connected to 4 related entities in the intelligence network, including MARAUDER, Skunk Works® CFR Program, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works®. These connections are documented through shared source documents, co-occurrence in research findings, and network graph relationships.
When did Power & Plasma Team appear in the research timeline?
Power & Plasma Team is referenced in 6 timeline events, including "Lockheed confirms CFR cancellation — but team stays and keeps hiring" (2023). The full timeline provides chronological context for all documented activities.
What source documents are available for Power & Plasma Team?
4 source documents are available in the research archive, including primary source PDFs from defense research collections. These documents provide the evidentiary basis for the intelligence assessment.
What does the deep dive analysis reveal about Power & Plasma Team?
The deep dive intelligence assessment provides a comprehensive analysis of Power & Plasma Team, covering strategic role, network connections, and operational significance. The analysis is derived from 4 primary source documents and cross-referenced with the network graph.