Are the manned spy airplanes now obsolete?

[Lunatik]

I'm referring to the old work horses like the legendry U-2 or the Nam veteran RF-4E. Back in the day, these reconnaissance aircraft provided allies with enormously important, time-critical intelligence. Believe it or not, RF-4E is still in use with several rather strong air forces. But in an age of satellites and anvanced, even stealth UAVs, are manned recon aircraft still any good?

Your thoughts?

TuAF RF-4E, still flies but is awaiting retirement.

 

[major liability]

I think we should always keep some high altitude spy planes like SR-71s (or their secret replacements ) ready in case we lose satellites. UAVs can probably do the rest on their own.

 

[tomtom22]

Like major says there are situations where manned aircraft will always be needed.

 

[tommy_gunn]

unmanned spy planes is so much better, if shot down no pilot to rescue, self destruction on the aircraft

 

[The Other Guy]

Like major says there are situations where manned aircraft will always be needed.

I'll second that.

 

[Lunatik]

I'll second that.

Manned aircraft in general will of course always be needed - for fighting wars, intercepting the enemy, providing CAS, escorting friendlies, etc. But for reconnaissance/intelligence gathering purposes? I doubt it. Satellites and UAVs have gotten way too good and capable and are quite ubiquitous now. Why spend a lot of $ and risk losing a man when you can take the same photo from space at many different bandwidths (optical, Infrared, radar, etc.) and at 1/1000th the cost per image?

A Google Earth snapshot showing a B-2 Spirit. I really doubt any Russian atmospheric aircraft could capture that image without getting shot down.

 

[AVON]

Re: Re: Are the manned spy airplanes now obsolete?

Aerial reconnaissance assets will always be needed. Satellite have a finite amount of fuel and when that is gone, the satellite is spent and useless. So with that in mind, it requires permission of very high authority (the president in the USA) in order to change the orbit of a reconn satellite.
The start of the Yom Kippur War, the USSR had moved several satellite's orbits to cover the Sinai Desert within the previous month of the conflict. The USAF did not have any satellites in position to cover the Middle East, so when the conflict started the USA had no reconn capability by satellite. The USAF then had to depend on the SR-71 reconnaissance flights going from Langley AFB, Virginia to the battle area and back to Langley daily, a twelve hour flight round trip!
So, I am of the opinion that some form airborne reconn asset will always be needed in critical situations. Whether that would be manned or unmanned does not matter, just an asset that can obtain photo-type information over any area on this planet.

 

[A Can of Man]

The manned reconnaissance aircraft just won't be the primary means of gathering intelligence. Odds are UAVs and UCAVs will be able to handle most of that sort of work. Even close air support is usually better with a UCAV.