Unmanned Reconnaissance Operations
Reconnaissance operations are the key to military victories. Starting in WWI the importance of airborne reconnaissance was recognized by military commanders. As conflicts and crises continue, the demand for more and better intelligence increases, and nations develop enhanced capabilities. The world’s fastest airplane, the SR-71 Blackbird, was developed by the CIA and USAF as an over-flight spy plane after Francis Gary Powers was shot down in his U-2 in 1960. Today the emphasis is on satellites and unmanned vehicles like the Predator and Global Hawk aircraft and on smaller vehicles much like remote control toy airplanes. These capabilities are presented in enrichment lectures that span the history of airborne reconnaissance.