Collier Trophies
The Skunk Works® is the proud home of eight Collier Trophies. Some of the Skunk Works' most notable aircraft have received the prestigious trophy, which bears the name of the past publisher and early president of the Aero Club of America, Robert J. Collier. The trophy is awarded annually by the National Aeronautic Association for the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to improving the performance, efficiency, and safety of air or space vehicles, the value of which has been thoroughly demonstrated by actual use during the preceding year.
F-104 Starfighter (1958)
USAF A-11 Mach 3 Aircraft (1963)
F-117 Nighthawk (1989)
U-2S/ER-2 Dragon Lady (1998)
JSF/X-35B STOVL (2002)
F-22 Raptor (2006)
X-47B (2013)
Auto GCAS (2018)
Auto GCAS improves the safety of aircraft and pilots by helping to eliminate the leading cause of F-16 pilot fatalities in military aviation: crashing an undamaged aircraft into the ground. Since the system entered service with the U.S. Air Force in late 2014, Auto GCAS has been credited with seven saves – eight pilots and seven F-16s. Implementation of Auto GCAS on the F-35 is anticipated five years earlier than originally planned.