III 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. CON. RES. 39 

Commemorating the 75th anniversary of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works 

and the significant contributions of the Skunk Works to the national 

security of the United States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 11, 2018 

Mrs. FEINSTEIN submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 

referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Commemorating the 75th anniversary of Lockheed Martin 

Skunk Works and the significant contributions of the 

Skunk Works to the national security of the United 

States. 

Whereas Lockheed Martin is known for building many of the 

finest military aircraft in the world; 

Whereas the Palmdale, California location of Lockheed Martin is headquarters to the Advanced Development Programs group of the company, which is widely known as 

the ‘‘Skunk Works’’; 

Whereas the name the ‘‘Skunk Works’’— 

(1) came from ‘‘Li’l Abner,’’ a satirical comic strip 

by Al Capp that was immensely popular in the 1940s and 

1950s; 


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(2) in 1943, was first used in reference to the Advanced Development Programs group when the Department of the Navy attempted to establish a conference call 

connection and was mistakenly transferred to the XP–80 

program of the Advanced Development Programs group, 

which due to classification could not to be identified when 

the call was answered, and a member of the Advanced 

Development Programs group instead answered the call 

by saying, ‘‘Skunk Works,’’ in reference to the location 

of the facility next to a malodorous plastics factory in 

Burbank, California; and 

(3) would later become the name that is used for the 

Advanced Development Programs group today, the 

‘‘Skunk Works’’; 

Whereas the founding father of the Skunk Works was Clarence L. ‘‘Kelly’’ Johnson; 

Whereas, in June 1943, Kelly Johnson and the Skunk Works 

team designed and delivered the XP–80, which became 

the P–80, the very first operational fighter jet of the 

United States, in only 143 days; 

Whereas the XP–80 program set the standard for super-secret, high priority, rapid execution projects performed on 

a minimal budget; 

Whereas, on August 1, 1955, the Skunk Works first flew the 

U–2 spy plane with the intention of operating over the 

Soviet Union and photographing sites of strategic interest; 

Whereas the U–2 became one of the most important intelligence tools during the Cold War and continues to be a 

critical intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance asset 

for the United States military; 


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Whereas, in 1964, the Skunk Works first flew the SR–71 

‘‘Blackbird,’’ which is the reigning world record holder 

for speed over a straight course at 2,193.167 miles per 

hour and served the United States Air Force from 1966 

until 1998; 

Whereas, in 1964, the Skunk Works flew the first-ever highaltitude unmanned aerial vehicle, the D–21, which was 

launched from an SR–71; 

Whereas, in 1976, the Skunk Works began production of a 

stealth fighter named ‘‘Have Blue,’’ which went on to become the F–117, the first operational stealth aircraft; 

Whereas, during the entirety of the Cold War, the Skunk 

Works was located in Burbank, California; 

Whereas, after 1989, Lockheed relocated the Skunk Works to 

Site 10 at United States Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, 

California, where the Skunk Works remains in operation 

today with more than 2,700 employees; 

Whereas the Skunk Works, in partnership with Edwards Air 

Force Base, has developed and tested aircraft including 

the U–2, the SR–71, the F–117, the YF–22, and the X– 

35, as well as other classified projects, in Antelope Valley, California; 

Whereas, in 2008, the Skunk Works became the only aerospace company ever to receive the highest national honor 

for technological achievement, the National Medal of 

Technology and Innovation; 

Whereas, the Skunk Works was awarded a Collier Trophy, 

the most prestigious award in aviation in the United 

States— 

(1) in 1958, for the F–104; 

(2) in 1963, for the A–11; 


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(3) in 1989, for the F–117A; 

(4) in 1998, for the U–2S/ER–2; 

(5) in 2002, for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)/X– 

35; 

(6) in 2006, for the F–22; and 

(7) in 2013, for the X–47B; and 

Whereas, today, the Skunk Works designs, develops, and rapidly produces advanced manned and unmanned technologies, serving both military and commercial concerns: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 

2 concurring), That Congress— 

3 (1) recognizes— 

4 (A) the tremendous accomplishments of 

5 the men and women of Lockheed Martin Skunk 

6 Works on the 75th anniversary of the establish7 ment of the Skunk Works during World War 

8 II; and 

9 (B) the indisputable contributions of the 

10 aircraft designed, developed, and produced by 

11 the Skunk Works to the national security of the 

12 United States over the last 75 years; and 

13 (2) encourages continued invention, innovation, 

14 and development of advanced technologies by the 

15 Skunk Works for the United States Government, alVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:34 Jun 11, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SC39.IS SC39

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1 lies of the United States, and commercial partners 

2 into the foreseeable future. 

Æ 


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