Lockheed Martin Skunk Works

Ben Rich succeeds Kelly Johnson as director of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, overseeing the development of stealth and revolutionary propulsion concepts.

Foundational paper on compressive heating of FRC plasmas, later inherited by the CFR program.

A highly classified U.S. program begins development of a revolutionary aerospace platform powered by a Compact Fusion Reactor (CFR) based on FRC physics.

Lockheed Martin Skunk Works is assessed to have achieved a significant technological breakthrough in FRC plasma physics.

An assessed major engineering success at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works validates the hardware program and elevates the Freescale SoC team to a national asset.

The Lockheed Martin Skunk Works FRC program achieves a significant, assessed breakthrough, necessitating a counter-intelligence screen.

Tom McGuire and Charles Chase begin CFR development at Skunk Works. FRC-based high-beta concept.

Lockheed Martin Skunk Works® officially begins its Compact Fusion Reactor (CFR) program, led by Thomas McGuire.

Multiple provisional patents filed. McGuire is sole inventor on all CFR confinement patents.

Charles Chase of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works provides a 'soft disclosure' of the Compact Fusion Reactor program during a 'Solve for X' presentation.