The Skunk Works David F. Taggart

Lockheed Martin Skunk Works "The Skunk Works is a concentration of a few good people solving problems far in advance - and at a fraction of the cost - by applying the simplest, most straightforward methods possible to develop and produce new products." Kelly L. Johnson

"The Skunk Works is a concentration of a few good people

solving problems far in advance - and at a fraction of the

cost - by applying the simplest, most straightforward

methods possible to develop and

produce new products."

Kelly L. Johnson

design in the future First production variant Present Paradigm Define the end point Customer relationships Economic insight Market introduction Risk management Development targets Technology introduction Integration payoff areas First production variant Future Paradigm Ideal architecture

design in the future example: U-2 and SR-71 spy planes It makes no sense to just take this one or two steps ahead, because we’d be buying only a couple of years before the Russians would be able to nail us again. No, I want us to come up with an airplane that can rule the skies for a decade or more. Kelly Johnson, Lockheed Skunk Works Speed Altitude Mach 0.8 65,000 ft Mach 3.5 80,000+ ft U-2 SR-71

P-80 Shooting Star: 1940’s Sub-sonic 25,000 ft. + Primarily Aluminum Fighter

Sub-sonic

25,000 ft. +

Primarily Aluminum

Fighter

F-104 Starfighter: 1950’s Supersonic 25,000 ft. + Primarily Aluminum Interceptor

Supersonic

25,000 ft. +

Primarily Aluminum

Interceptor

U-2 Dragonlady: 1950’s Sub-sonic 65,000 ft. + Primarily Aluminum High Altitude Reconnaissance

Sub-sonic

65,000 ft. +

Primarily Aluminum

High Altitude Reconnaissance

SR-71 Blackbird: 1960’s Mach 3+ 80,000 ft. + Primarily Titanium Reconnaissance

Mach 3+

80,000 ft. +

Primarily Titanium

Reconnaissance

F-117A Nighthawk: 1970’s Sub-sonic 40,000 ft. Primarily Aluminum Precision Strike

Sub-sonic

40,000 ft.

Primarily Aluminum

Precision Strike

breakthrough environment Need relevant experience and fundamental knowledge Need diversity across every measure Need a clear mission Need some form of structure Measurements of progress are clear and checked regularly, with timely corrective actions made COMMUNICATION is paramount Question “absolutes” Respect others and expect their respect The team will change as the endeavor progresses

Need relevant experience and fundamental knowledge

Need diversity across every measure

Need a clear mission

Need some form of structure

Measurements of progress are clear and checked regularly, with timely corrective actions made

COMMUNICATION is paramount

Question “absolutes”

Respect others and expect their respect

The team will change as the endeavor progresses

F-22 Raptor: 1980’s Mach 2 60,000 ft. Aluminum, Titanium, Composite Air Dominance

Mach 2

60,000 ft.

Aluminum, Titanium, Composite

Air Dominance

Sea Shadow: 1980’s Really slow Sea Level Steel, Aluminum Strategic Attack

Really slow

Sea Level

Steel, Aluminum

Strategic Attack

Tier III- Darkstar: 1990’s Sub-sonic 60,000 ft. + Primarily composite Reconnaissance Autonomous

Sub-sonic

60,000 ft. +

Primarily composite

Reconnaissance

Autonomous

X-33 / RLV: 00’s Mach 15+ Exo-atmospheric Primarily composite SSTO demonstrator

Mach 15+

Exo-atmospheric

Primarily composite

SSTO demonstrator

X-35 Joint Strike Fighter: 05’s Supersonic 50,000 ft. + Aluminum, Titanium, Composite Joint Forces Strike Replace F-16, F-14, AV-8B

Supersonic

50,000 ft. +

Aluminum, Titanium, Composite

Joint Forces Strike

Replace F-16, F-14, AV-8B

Advanced composite structures

Skunk Works facilities Can build just about anything Do most work internally Specialize in Silver Bullets, Stealth, prototyping

Can build just about anything

Do most work internally

Specialize in Silver Bullets, Stealth, prototyping

Skunk Works Future?

LightSpeed futures

LightSpeed futures

Innovation is elusive Process and people make the difference Get clear on the priorities Generate experience: Build, test, and fail early The process is challenging, practice is required Whole systems view is essential to maximize design freedom Breakthroughs require: a huge commitment strong experienced leadership and team managing your risks, building, testing, and… … stacking the deck! “breakthrough” product development

Innovation is elusive

Process and people make the difference

Get clear on the priorities

Generate experience: Build, test, and fail early

The process is challenging, practice is required

Whole systems view is essential to maximize design freedom

Breakthroughs require:

a huge commitment

strong experienced leadership and team

managing your risks, building, testing, and…

… stacking the deck!

thank you www.hypercar.com