Reconnaissance & Special Duties

Aircraft of the Royal Air Force classified as reconnaissance & special duties — profiled in full.

10 Aircraft Profiles
Featured Reconnaissance & Special Duties

BAE Hawk

British Aerospace / BAE Systems

Reconnaissance & Special Duties

The BAE Hawk became the RAF’s principal advanced jet trainer and one of the service’s most recognisable modern aircraft through both fast-jet training and the Red Arrows.

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Entered service 1976
Max speed 645 mph (1,038 km/h)
Ceiling 44,500 ft (13,564 m)
Range 1,550 miles (2,495 km)

Reconnaissance & Special Duties · 10 aircraft

Cold War

BAC TSR2

British Aircraft Corporation
Reconnaissance & Special Duties N/A–1965
Modern RAF

BAE Hawk

British Aerospace / BAE Systems
Reconnaissance & Special Duties 1976
Modern RAF

Boeing E-3 Sentry

Boeing
Reconnaissance & Special Duties 1991–2021
Modern RAF

Boeing E-7 Wedgetail

Boeing Defense, Space & Security
Reconnaissance & Special Duties 2026
Second World War

de Havilland Mosquito

de Havilland
Reconnaissance & Special Duties 1941–1963
Cold War

English Electric Canberra

English Electric
Reconnaissance & Special Duties 1951–2006
Modern RAF

General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
Reconnaissance & Special Duties 2007
Cold War

Hawker Siddeley Nimrod

Hawker Siddeley
Reconnaissance & Special Duties 1969–2010
Modern RAF

Protector RG1

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
Reconnaissance & Special Duties 2025
Second World War

Westland Lysander

Westland Aircraft Ltd
Reconnaissance & Special Duties 1938–1946