Military Use of Satellite Imagery, September 1999

Technological developments are continually improving the resolution of remote sensing from planes and satellites. Such techniques can provide 24-hour global surveillance in all weathers and are thus of crucial importance to national defence and military operations. But despite all the high technology, human operators remain of paramount importance in interpreting the data. This briefing note reviews the technical challenges and other issues facing the UK in maintaining this military ‘high ground’.