This is exactly what i was thinking, nevermind nuclear recce drone, how about manned or unmanned nuclear powered bomber? Any idea how the Burevestnik nuclear engine compares to a normal jet engine in weight etc.?
There is no need for a nuclear powered bomber to carry long range missiles if you have a nuclear powered missile with unlimited range already.
Furthermore it's far easier to create a missile around the concept than a large aircraft, which would preferably unmanned anyway.
As for ISR drones, it would need to be fairly large and stealthy to be viable. Especially to shield the reactor otherwise radiation leaking could give away the position of the aircraft, as well as sheer heat from the exhaust. The juice is not worth the squeeze.
I've said it elsewhere and I will say it here too, while the Poseidon intercontinental nuclear torpedo is novel and has immediately identifiable advantages over conventional systems, I fail to see the practical advantage of Burevestnik over long range, stealthy, conventional cruise missiles and the ICBMs which can reach any place they need to at any time. To me it's an interesting engineering exercise, a proof of concept and a testimony to the prowess of Russian nuclear engineering, but I don't see much else if I'm honest.
In all fairness however, we know virtually nothing about the missile. It's characteristics, exact manner of propulsion, cost, potential platforms etc.
But if it's about circumventing NATO air defenses, I personally think submarine launched ballistic and especially cruise missiles with nuclear warheads prove more viable and arguably more cost effective. Not touching on things like launching stealthy ALCMs from strategic bombers.
People bring up the USN CSGs as targets, but these could in wartime be wiped out with Poseidon, which can trail and loiter much more discreetly than a screeching atomic missile flying figure-eights in the sky.
In my eyes an impressive feat but little actual value. Sarmat, Poseidon, Avangard, Zircon etc. are of a different caliber imo and more useful, with Zircon for example also being useful in conflicts that aren't straight up WW3.
