Lockheed Martin’s Hypersonic Aircraft Plans Are In the Works

Jon Fingas released an article on Engadget talking about the hypersonic aircraft. The hypersonic aircraft is considered any aircraft above Mach 5 such at the SR-72. Any type of hypersonic aircraft could be at any destination globally within the span of a few hours. Although many of these hypersonic aircrafts are in speculation, some are starting to show its true colors.

According the Lockheed, there is plans for the company to have a demonstrator hypersonic aircraft that will have a price tag of a little less than $1 billion. In terms of dimensions, Lockheed has mentioned that the hypersonic aircraft will be roughly the size of an F-22 aircraft.

Although this is a high ticket item, there are other programs that cost even more than this. With this being said, it can be inferred that hypersonic aircrafts that Lockheed Martin are planning to build could materialize in the years to come.

Lockheed Martin was founded March 15, 1995 about 21 years ago. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland in the Washington DC area in the United States. The company has a little bit over 120,000 employees around the world. Lockheed Martin is considered one of the largest defense contractors in the realm of aerospace & aviation parts, security, defense, and technology industries.

Fingas mentions a little bit about how the hypersonic aircraft will be able to reach hypersonic speeds without the use of other aircrafts or a booster engine.

“While the existing Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept project will rely on a booster to reach the altitude where its ramjet kicks in, the new concept embraces the SR-72's "turbine-based combined cycle," where conventional jet tech meets a ramjet” writes Fingas.

Even with all the plans in works, it will still be a while before Lockheed and present something tangible. There is a possibility that the hypersonic demonstrator aircraft will be ready by 2018. Along with this, there is also a possibility that it will be into the 2020s when Lockheed Martin will be able to provide hypersonic vehicles. It is said that these hypersonic vehicles will be used as weapons.