Assessment: Lockheed Martin CFR Design Points (McGuire 2016)
Establishes technical scaling realities of Skunk Works compact fusion reactor concepts.
01 Definition
Technical assessment clarifying the nominal and conservative engineering design points of the Lockheed Martin Compact Fusion Reactor.
02 Detailed_Analysis
Analytical assessment evaluating the design parameters disclosed by Dr. Thomas McGuire at UC Irvine in 2016. McGuire defined a Nominal 200 MWth concept (5.2m x 15.2m, 230 tons, 1.4 T) and a Conservative concept (10.5m x 30.5m, 1,900 tons, 0.84 T), contrasting these analytical conceptual baselines against smaller experimental hardware like T4 and T4B.
03 Key_Facts
- ▸ Evaluates McGuire's 2016 UC Irvine technical briefing on 200 MWth reactor baselines
- ▸ Nominal design: 5.2m diameter x 15.2m length, 230 metric tons, 1.4 Tesla
- ▸ Conservative design: 10.5m diameter x 30.5m length, 1,900 metric tons, 0.84 Tesla
- ▸ Distinguishes scaled reactor concepts from subscale laboratory devices (T4, T4B, T5)
04 Deep_Dive_Intelligence
Overview
ASSESSMENT: The CFR '2,000-ton TX' was a DESIGN CONCEPT, not a built prototype. McGuire's 2016 UCI presentation showed TWO design points: NOMINAL: 200 MW Thermal, 5.2m diameter x 15.2m long, 230 metric tons, 1.4T, 9 MA mirror current. CONSERVATIVE: 200 MW Thermal, 10.5m diameter x 30.5m long, 1,900 metric tons, 0.84T, 20 MA mirror current. Lockheed believed weight could be reduced to 200 tons. The actual experimental devices were much smaller: T4 (0.33 m² plasma, 2 m³ chamber), T4B (2m x 1m, ~20 tons, 13 coils), T5 (under construction July 2019, 'significantly larger'). Development path: T4→T5→T6→T7→T8→TX. T4 results (482 shots): n=10^16-10^17 m^-3, Te=10-25 eV, τE=4-100 μsec — 3-4 orders of magnitude from reactor conditions (need ~10^20 m^-3, ~14,000 eV). The '2,000-ton' figure was always the conservative design point, not evidence of failure. This REMOVES the strongest evidence AGAINST the hypothesis from Round 8.
Entity Type: Assessment — CFR Reactor Design Points (McGuire 2016) is an analytical assessment synthesizing multiple data points.
Research Findings
CFR Reactor Design Points (McGuire 2016) appears in 5 research analysis documents:
AFRL Air Delivered Effects 2025:
Findings: AFRL Air Delivered Effects 2025
Source PDF: [AFRL_Air_Delivered_Effects_2025.pdf](/archive/AFRL_Air_Delivered_Effects_2025)
Date range: 1972-2025
Source org: AFRL
Summary
The Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate (AFRL/RW) issued this Broad Agency Announcement to solicit research in 'Air Delivered...
AFRL Air Delivered Effects 2025:
Findings: AFRL Air Delivered Effects 2025
Source PDF: [AFRL_Air_Delivered_Effects_2025.pdf](/archive/AFRL_Air_Delivered_Effects_2025)
Date range: 1972-2025
Source org: AFRL
Summary
The Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate (AFRL/RW) issued this Broad Agency Announcement to solicit research in 'Air Delivered...
AFRL Air Delivered Effects BAA 2024:
Findings: AFRL Air Delivered Effects BAA 2024
Source PDF: [AFRL_Air_Delivered_Effects_BAA_2024.pdf](/archive/AFRL_Air_Delivered_Effects_BAA_2024)
Date range: 1972-2024
Source org: AFRL
Summary
The Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate (AFRL/RW) issued this Broad Agency Announcement in 2024 to solicit research a...
AFRL Air Delivered Effects BAA 2024:
Findings: AFRL Air Delivered Effects BAA 2024
Source PDF: [AFRL_Air_Delivered_Effects_BAA_2024.pdf](/archive/AFRL_Air_Delivered_Effects_BAA_2024)
Date range: 1972-2024
Source org: AFRL
Summary
The Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate (AFRL/RW) issued this Broad Agency Announcement in 2024 to solicit research a...
Findings: AFRL LANL FRCHX 2016
Source PDF: [AFRL_LANL_FRCHX_2016.pdf](/archive/AFRL_LANL_FRCHX_2016)
Date range: 1981-2022
Source org: LANL
Summary
This programmatic analysis investigates the 2014-2016 closeout of the Field-Reversed Configuration Heating Experiment (FRCHX), a joint initiative by the Air Force ...
Source Documents
Intelligence derived from 4 source documents:
- UCI — McGuire CT2016 presentation (physics.uci.edu)
- BESA Center — Lockheed Martin CFR analysis
- Lyncean Group — Lockheed Martin CFR presentation
- The War Zone — T5 construction report (July 2019)
06 Related_Terms (2)
07 Related_Entities (1)
08 Timeline_Mentions (10)
Ben Rich Directs Skunk Works
Ben Rich succeeds Kelly Johnson as director of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, overseeing the development of stealth and revolutionary propulsion concepts.
personnelLANL adiabatic compression of FRCs
Foundational paper on compressive heating of FRC plasmas, later inherited by the CFR program.
fusion-researchU.S. Compact Fusion Aerospace Program Initiated
A highly classified U.S. program begins development of a revolutionary aerospace platform powered by a Compact Fusion Reactor (CFR) based on FRC physics.
defense-programsClandestine FRC Breakthrough
Lockheed Martin Skunk Works is assessed to have achieved a significant technological breakthrough in FRC plasma physics.
historical-contextClandestine FRC Breakthrough at Skunk Works
An assessed major engineering success at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works validates the hardware program and elevates the Freescale SoC team to a national asset.
defense-programsSkunk Works FRC Breakthrough
The Lockheed Martin Skunk Works FRC program achieves a significant, assessed breakthrough, necessitating a counter-intelligence screen.
fusion-physicsLockheed Skunk Works CFR program begins internally
Tom McGuire and Charles Chase begin CFR development at Skunk Works. FRC-based high-beta concept.
defense-programsLockheed Martin CFR Program Commencement
Lockheed Martin Skunk Works® officially begins its Compact Fusion Reactor (CFR) program, led by Thomas McGuire.
defense-programsCFR Soft Disclosure
Charles Chase of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works provides a 'soft disclosure' of the Compact Fusion Reactor program during a 'Solve for X' presentation.
historical-contextCharles Chase reveals Skunk Works CFR
Public reveal of the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works Compact Fusion Reactor concept.
defense-programs09 FAQ
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Quick_Facts
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- Assessment: Lockheed Martin CFR Design Points (McGuire 2016), assessment-lockheed-martin-cfr-design-points-mcguire-2016, Lockheed CFR Design Points, McGuire 2016 CFR Specifications
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