Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System

The Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) is a large and sophisticated camera pod carried by the F-14 Tomcat. It contains three camera bays with different type cameras which are pointed down at passing terrain. It was originally designed to provide an interim reconnaissance capability until a dedicated F/A-18 Reconnaissance version could be fielded. However, it was pressed into service upon arrival in the fleet and was still in use up to the end of Tomcat service in 2006.

Read more about Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance Pod System:  TARPS Pod and Tomcat Interoperability, Camera Bays, TARPS Missions, Upgrades, Operational History

Famous quotes containing the word system:

    Short of a wholesale reform of college athletics—a complete breakdown of the whole system that is now focused on money and power—the women’s programs are just as doomed as the men’s are to move further and further away from the academic mission of their colleges.... We have to decide if that’s the kind of success for women’s sports that we want.
    Christine H. B. Grant, U.S. university athletic director. As quoted in the Chronicle of Higher Education, p. A42 (May 12, 1993)