v1.1.1 / TOC / 01 jun 02 / greg goebel / public domain
* While aircraft have been used for battlefield observation since the First World War, up through the 1950s this mission was generally performed by standard combat aircraft modified to carry cameras, or light utility aircraft with observers carrying binoculars to survey the terrain.
Since the 1960s, however, much more capable optical and electronic systems have been developed, leading to a new generation of "battlefield surveillance" aircraft that can obtain intelligence around the clock in any weather. This document provides an outline of modern battlefield surveillance aircraft.