Lockheed Martin LRS - lift fans?

[GWrecks]

Not sure if this warrants a new topic but I did a quick search and didn't find anything on it...

I was looking through Hitechweb's page on Long Range Strike and noticed something rather odd on Lockheed Martin's proposal. Did anyone here notice that there appear to be hidden lift fans on the bomber? Because that would then beg the question of whether VTOL strategic bombers were actually closely considered. How big is this thing, anyway?

I'm pretty sure they're lift-fans. They seem like they'd be placed in the proper locations, and I've seen those kind of hatches before. Maybe I'm wrong though.

 

[Orionblamblam]

Interesting, but much too small and oddly located for lift fans. The majority of the mass of the plane would seem to be in the rear of the plane; thus the fan waaaay up front would have very little to do while the mere two in the back would have to struggle to lift the bulk of the weight of the plane.

My guess: "art."

 

[flateric]

This concept was called S-SUCAS
And no, these are not lift fans.

 

[Sundog]

They're most likely embedded antenna (antennas, antennae? I'm not sure what the plural is in this instance).

 

[litzj]

Aircraft like LRS requires massive, massive lift if it want VTOL.

Imagine how hard F-35 lift vertically.

 

[GWrecks]

Aircraft like LRS requires massive, massive lift if it want VTOL.

Imagine how hard F-35 lift vertically.

So, I guess the idea of strategic bombers taking off vertically is pure fantasy. I feel dumb for even asking about this.

Although, I do know aircraft like the CL-1201 had lift jets, but if I recall that was to make it take off faster, not take off vertically.

 

[Avimimus]

One of the two declassified versions of the CL-1201 was supposed to attain complete vertical takeoff. The idea of using lift jets to shorten take-off (as an alternative to larger wings or swing wings) has also been tossed around over the years. So I wouldn't be hard on yourself.

 

[sferrin]

Aircraft like LRS requires massive, massive lift if it want VTOL.

Imagine how hard F-35 lift vertically.

So, I guess the idea of strategic bombers taking off vertically is pure fantasy. I feel dumb for even asking about this.

McDonnell Douglas GRM-29A

"This 1980's design was for a single stage to orbit military spaceplane with an unusual launch arrangement... vertical takeoff, but in a horizontal attitude (like a Harrier). The size of a B-1 bomber, it could launch from up to 480 sites in the lower 48, and could strike anywhere in the world. The article includes a number of maps and diagrams. "

(One of my favorites.)

 

[DrRansom]

This concept was called S-SUCAS
And no, these are not lift fans.

What was the S-SUCAS program?