Lockheed Martin Persistor

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Big Wingy Thingy
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This was already mentioned in the Next Generation Bomber studies but...

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,191.msg89484.html#msg89484

This post mentions on page 89 of this document http://www.space-library.com/0511LM_Investor%20Conf.pdf a "Persistor" aircraft. Now, at the time people were speculating that it was some sort of bomber, but it recently occurred to me...what if it's some sort of strategic reconnaissance aircraft?

That could explain why it was only briefly mentioned (Too secretive, since that's how spyplanes are). The idea of flying in fast and then having a very high-efficiency cruise also doesn't seem to make sense for a bomber (Or at least not to the extreme that design implies), while a recon aircraft would do quite well with the ability to reach an area quickly and spy it for long periods of time.

Lastly, one engine doesn't seem like enough for an aircraft like that, if it were bomber-sized. It clearly needs a lot of push to get it up to speed. Unless we have some sort of turbofan version of the GE4 I don't imagine something that big working.

Anyone else got thoughts about this?

EDIT: Hmm, on second thought it the Mach 2.5 concept is clearly a bomber according to this post https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,191.msg15703.html#msg15703

I guess the fact Compass Arrow came to mind when I saw it first might have misled me...
 

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