The Tupolev Tu-123 Yastreb (Hawk, Russian : Ястреб ) was one of the earliest Soviet reconnaissance drones that began development in 1960. Sometimes referred to as the "DBR-1", it was introduced into active service in 1964.
11-491: The Tu-123 was a long-range, high-altitude supersonic strategic unmanned reconnaissance aircraft , in a form reminiscent of a big dart , conceptually somewhat similar to the United States' D-21 . It carried both film cameras and SIGINT payloads. The Tu-123 was ground-launched with JATO boosting and powered by a KR-15 afterburning turbojet in flight. The KR-15 was a lower-cost, short-life, expendable version of
22-543: A high-altitude reconnaissance role. The project was officially launched on 16 August 1960, under the designation “DBR-1” with the Tupolev Design Bureau designation of “I123K” (later changed to “Tu-123”). Factory testing was completed in September 1961 and flight tests by December 1963. The new UAV entered active service on 23 May 1964. Mass production was at Voronezh Factory Number 64, and from 1964 to 1972
33-507: A reusable version which could land on unprepared airstrips. It was never put into production. The Tu-123 was gradually removed from service, and replaced by the MiG-25 R, a reconnaissance version of the Foxbat. General characteristics Performance This article contains material that originally came from the web article Unmanned Aerial Vehicles by Greg Goebel, which exists in
44-475: A total of 52 units were manufactured. The Tu-123 served with Soviet Air Force intelligence units stationed in the western border military districts until 1979. It had (theoretically) the range to cover all of Central and Western Europe, and performed well in training exercises. However, the expense of operating an expendable system was unsatisfactory. This led to the development of the Tu-139 Yastreb 2,
55-457: The R-15 engine used on the twin-engine, Mach 3 -class Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 Foxbat interceptor . The Tu-123 itself was expendable, parachuting its payload to the ground for recovery. The Tu-123 was a development of the proposed Tupolev Tu-121 supersonic nuclear-armed cruise missile program. After the cancellation of that project in favor of ballistic missiles , the design was modified for
66-785: The RB-47 , RB-57 , Boeing RC-135 and the Ryan Model 147 drones . Since the Cold War much of the strategic reconnaissance aircraft role has passed over to satellites , and the tactical role to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This has been proven in successful uses by the United States in Desert Storm operations. [REDACTED] Media related to Reconnaissance aircraft at Wikimedia Commons Observation balloon Too Many Requests If you report this error to
77-598: The 20th century, machines for powered and controllable flight were not available to military forces, but some attempts were made to use lighter than air craft. During the Napoleonic Wars and Franco-Prussian War , balloons were used for aerial reconnaissance by the French. In World War I , aircraft were deployed during early phases of battle in reconnaissance roles as 'eyes of the army ' to aid ground forces. Aerial reconnaissance from this time through 1945
88-580: The Public Domain. Reconnaissance aircraft A reconnaissance aircraft (colloquially, a spy plane ) is a military aircraft designed or adapted to perform aerial reconnaissance with roles including collection of imagery intelligence (including using photography ), signals intelligence , as well as measurement and signature intelligence . Modern technology has also enabled some aircraft and UAVs to carry out real-time surveillance in addition to general intelligence gathering . Before
99-683: The development of devices such as radar , military forces relied on reconnaissance aircraft for visual observation and scouting of enemy movement. An example is the PBY Catalina maritime patrol flying boat used by the Allies in World War II : a flight of U.S. Navy Catalinas spotted part of the Japanese fleet approaching Midway Island, beginning the Battle of Midway . Prior to
110-704: The visual range of the ship's lookouts, and could spot the fall of shot during long range artillery engagements. Observation seaplanes were replaced by helicopters after World War II. After World War II and during the Cold War the United States developed several dedicated reconnaissance aircraft designs, including the U-2 and SR-71 , to monitor the nuclear arsenal of the Soviet Union . Other types of reconnaissance aircraft were built for specialized roles in signals intelligence and electronic monitoring, such as
121-554: Was mostly carried out by adapted versions of standard fighters and bombers equipped with film cameras . Photography became the primary and best-known method of intelligence collection for reconnaissance aircraft by the end of World War II . World War I also saw use of floatplanes to locate enemy warships. After the battle of Jutland demonstrated the limitations of seaplane tenders , provisions were made for capital ships to carry, launch, and recover observation seaplanes . These seaplanes could scout for enemy warships beyond
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