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Areconnaissance aircraft (colloquially, aspy plane) is amilitary aircraft designed or adapted to performaerial reconnaissance with roles including collection ofimagery intelligence (including usingphotography),signals intelligence, as well asmeasurement and signature intelligence. Modern technology has also enabled some aircraft andUAVs to carry out real-timesurveillance in addition to generalintelligence gathering.
Before the development of devices such asradar, military forces relied on reconnaissance aircraft for visualobservation andscouting of enemy movement. An example is thePBY Catalinamaritime patrolflying boat used by theAllies inWorld War II: aflight ofU.S. Navy Catalinas spotted part of the Japanese fleet approaching Midway Island, beginning theBattle of Midway.[1]
Prior to the 20th century, machines for powered andcontrollable flight were not available tomilitary forces, but some attempts were made to uselighter than air craft. During theNapoleonic Wars andFranco-Prussian War,balloons wereused for aerial reconnaissance by the French.[2]
InWorld War I, aircraft were deployed during early phases of battle in reconnaissance roles as 'eyes of thearmy' to aid ground forces.[2] Aerial reconnaissance from this time through 1945 was mostly carried out by adapted versions of standardfighters andbombers equipped withfilmcameras.[3] Photography became the primary and best-known method of intelligence collection for reconnaissance aircraft by the end ofWorld War II.
World War I also saw use offloatplanes to locate enemy warships. After thebattle of Jutland demonstrated the limitations ofseaplane tenders, provisions were made forcapital ships to carry, launch, and recoverobservation seaplanes. These seaplanes could scout for enemy warships beyond the visual range of the ship's lookouts, and could spot thefall of shot during long range artillery engagements. Observation seaplanes were replaced byhelicopters after World War II.[4]
After World War II and during theCold War theUnited States developed several dedicated reconnaissance aircraft designs, including theU-2 andSR-71, to monitor thenuclear arsenal of theSoviet Union.[5] Other types of reconnaissance aircraft were built for specialized roles insignals intelligence and electronic monitoring, such as theRB-47,RB-57,Boeing RC-135 and theRyan Model 147drones. Soviet planes include theMyasishchev M-55.
Since the Cold War much of the strategic reconnaissance aircraft role has passed over tosatellites,[6] and the tactical role tounmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This has been proven in successful uses by theUnited States inDesert Storm operations.[7]
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Media related toReconnaissance aircraft at Wikimedia Commons
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