"Oh dear" is right, HAS59 - it's a while since I saw a post so completely and fundamentally wrong.
You worked on CASTOR? That makes your experience nearly 3 decades out of date - it's a bit like saying you flew Lightnings so you completely understand Typhoon's capabilities. Just because the Cold War is over doesn't mean that we no longer have an interest in SAR and GMTI products. "Far more" and "better" space based sensors? Name one. And when you've done that, explain to me how it can stare, for many hours, at the same piece of land in Mali, or anywhere else come to that.
U-2 and JSTARS quiet in recent military actions? Plain wrong - what they do just doesn't make the press.
Do you think that the "good people operating and supporting the Sentinel" are just doing it for a laugh? By your understanding they're using a crap capability to collect information that nobody needs anymore (and anyway is apparently available 24/7 from space) to provide a big picture that nobody wants.
BlackadderIA - I am suggesting a UAV can do the job - NATO certainly think so with NAGS. UAVs rock....
DuaneDibley - you're a very naughty boy - you know retired people aren't supposed to express opinions on this site....