I understand the SR-71 had to deal with a lot of issues in order to keep its speed (special fuel which leaked on the runway, titanium fuselage and probably other stuff). But wouldn’t the same type of engine be able to power a relatively slower fighter jet capable of easily cruise at match 2-2.5, so it doesn’t have to deal with so much friction as the SR-71 at match 3.
But while the engines exist since the 1960s, relatively few fighters go faster than match 2 and it took all the way to the 21st century to have fighters capable of supercruise (and still below match 2). So I guess there has to be a reason for that.
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those engines were most useful at a steady speed. modern warfare where anything moving in the sky is trackable as a bicyclist on a desert lake bed with a road flare, its all about electronics and maneuverability.
these days they can make a jet fly and turn faster than the pilot (high G blackouts)
the main reason to have high speed is just to get the weapon from launch point to near the engagement point. the electronics see the targets well before the pilot can, well before the missles are in range. the weapons systems are getting info from satelites, other jets, ships, AWACs and ground radar.
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