- There is no real need for SR-72 to be manned on all flights;
- Hypersonic plane would be very good for small (2m wingspan) drone delivery behind the enemy lines fast (in half an hour). This was already a concept with M-21/D-21, but now the drone part can be much smaller and one plane could carry more than 4 of those.
Satellites are quite limited when you need to make fast decisions. Hypersonic plane will move about 7 times slower than an optical recce satellite, yet it can maneuver very fast if you need to relocate the imaging area and can get at least 10 times closer to the target. Instruments can be selected/improved even after the first flight of the plane -- not true for the satellites.
- There is no real need for SR-72 to be manned on all flights;
- Hypersonic plane would be very good for small (2m wingspan) drone delivery behind the enemy lines fast (in half an hour). This was already a concept with M-21/D-21, but now the drone part can be much smaller and one plane could carry more than 4 of those.
Satellites are quite limited when you need to make fast decisions. Hypersonic plane will move about 7 times slower than an optical recce satellite, yet it can maneuver very fast if you need to relocate the imaging area and can get at least 10 times closer to the target. Instruments can be selected/improved even after the first flight of the plane -- not true for the satellites.