Ever since the first aerial photograph was taken, from a military observation balloon, commanders have been fascinated with this capability, and over the years systems have evolved into extremely sophisticated devices, capable of gathering all forms of data, from low-level tactical observation to Earth-orbit, high-resolution photography. Today's satellite systems afford facilities for very high quality elint (electronics intelligence) and photographic reconnaissance, but, complementing the data returned from space, that collected by the manned aircraft is still vital, and the need for immediate, accurate information has led to the development of stable and flexible reconnaissance platforms known as 'spyplanes'. We will, in this volume, only glimpse the strategic reconnaissance story. Missions are usually carried out under a cloak of extreme secrecy by a single aircraft. No weapons are carried nor pay loads delivered, only the probing eyes of photo-optical systems or the invisible impulses of electronic sensors. Even when a particular mission is successful, there can be no disclosure or claim of recognition. The need for policy makers to have an immediate assessment of a global 'hot spot' or to accumulate the information necessary to determine long-term strategy depends on reconnaissance capabilities. Within this realm we will look at several of the truly amazing aircraft that have been produced to meet this need.
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