Another modern reconnaissance system is the BAE Systems Advanced
Airborne Reconnaissance System (AARS), which is a near-real-time-capable system with long range.
Step framing captures large area, photographic quality digital images while enhancing the survivability of the tactical reconnaissance platform--already in service by US Navy in the CA-261 cameras deployed to the Tactical
Airborne Reconnaissance Pods/Completely Digital squadrons.
This includes current and future Army systems, including
Airborne Reconnaissance Low (ARL), Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (TUAV), Aerial Common Sensor (ACS), and the Distributed Common Ground System-Army (DCGS-A).
Egypt has requested a sale of six Theater
Airborne Reconnaissance System (TARS) pods, aircraft integration, ground station equipment, spare and repair parts, and other support equipment and services.
The F-14 Tomcat's TARPS (Tactical
Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System) pod has been in service since 1981, and while other programs like ATARS and SHARP languished with funding cuts and delays, TARPS was the source of some of the first and best digital recce-technology advances in the world.
* Imagery products from U-2 and
Airborne Reconnaissance Low (ARL) platforms.
At the recent Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition, Malaysia unveiled its Eagle
Airborne Reconnaissance Vehicle (EARV), manufactured by Composites Technology Research Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Melaka, Malaysia), in partnership with Excelnet Sdn Bhd (Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia) and BAE Systems Controls (Johnson City, NY).
He recommended that management of EW be taken away from the services for about four years, using the Defense
Airborne Reconnaissance Office (DARO) model of the early '90s.
The first, valued at nearly $340 million, calls for the development and production of a new-generation
airborne reconnaissance system for the French Air Force and Navy, to be installed initially aboard Mirage 2000N aircraft, followed by the Rafales under order for both services.
Still another part of the ISR apparatus is the work done at lower flight levels by the
Airborne Reconnaissance Low-Multifunction (ARL-M) system, a manned airborne collection platform comprised of imagery, radar, communications Intelligence, data links and communications systems that provide near real-time Intelligence information to the tactical commander.
Existing capabilities and planned improvements will provide UHF SATCOM connectivity to the E-8 J-STARS aircraft via data link, receipt of Predator UAV video, and direct links for receipt of
Airborne Reconnaissance Low (ARL) and U2 MTI radar data.
Brian Scorpino, the F-18 Tactical Reconnaissance Team Lead, told JED that, though it was initially developed as a replacement for the F-14's Tactical
Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System-Completely Digital (TARPS-CD), the SHARP is currently being qualified for the Super Hornet only.
