IV 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 122 

Commemorating the 75th Anniversary of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works 

and its significant contributions to the national security of the United States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 7, 2018 

Mr. KNIGHT (for himself and Mr. COOK) submitted the following concurrent 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Commemorating the 75th Anniversary of Lockheed Martin 

Skunk Works and its significant contributions 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; 

(2) in 1943, was first used in reference to the Advanced Development Programs group when the DepartVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:15 Jun 08, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HC122.IH HC122

dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
2 

•HCON 122 IH 

ment 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 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 was completed in only 143 days; 

Whereas the XP–80 became the P–80, the first operational 

fighter jet of the United States; 

Whereas the XP–80 program set the standard for highly secretive, 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 of the Cold War and continues to be a critical intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance asset 

for the Armed Forces of the United States; 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
3 

•HCON 122 IH 

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 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 aircraft named ‘‘Have Blue’’, which went 

on to become the F–117, the first ever 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 Air Force Base Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, where it 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, SR–71, F–117, YF–22, 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; 

(3) in 1989, for the F–117A; 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
4 

•HCON 122 IH 

(4) in 1998, for the U–2S/ER–2; 

(5) in 2002, for the joint Strike Fighter/X–35; 

(6) in 2006, for the F–22; and 

(7) in 2013, for the X–47B; and 

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

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That Congress— 

3 (1) recognizes— 

4 (A) the tremendous accomplishments of 

5 the men and women at Lockheed Martin’s 

6 Skunk Works on the 75th anniversary of its es7 tablishment during World War II; and 

8 (B) the indisputable contribution to the 

9 national security of the United States by the 

10 aircraft designed, developed, and produced at 

11 the Skunk Works over the last 75 years; and 

12 (2) encourages continued invention, innovation, 

13 and development of advanced technologies by the 

14 Skunk Works for the United States Government, its 

15 allies, and commercial partners into the foreseeable 

16 future. 

Æ 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS