Photography > Aerial Reconnaissance and Imagery Analysis > Airplanes

OV-1 Mohawk (Army)

Overview
The Ov-1 Mohawk was an integrated battlefield surveillance system designed to provide the army field commander with information on the strength, disposition, and activity of enemy forces. The aircraft was a two-place, twin turboprop aircraft equipped with the latest cameras and electronic sensory equipment available at the time. It could perform its mission day or night or in inclement weather, and was designed to live in the field with the troops. The Mohawk was a rugged aircraft, readily maintained without extensive support equipment, capable of operating from small unimproved fields and roads, and trucks and trailers carry all ground-based system components essential to support the mission. Three versions of the Mohawk were produced: OV-1A, basic visual, photographic reconnaissance aircraft; OV-1B, visual, photographic, side-looking radar; OV-1C, visual, photographic, infrared. (The OV-IA is, essentially, an OV-1B or OV-1C without electronic sensors.) All three versions served in Vietnam. During deployment to Viet Nam some OV-1s of the 131 Aviation Company (AS) were armed, carrying pod-enclosed machineguns or rockets.

Sensor Ground Support

AN/TAQ-1 GROUND SENSOR TERMINAL (IR Imagery)
The AN/TAQ-1 Ground Sensor Terminal receives, displays, and records IR sensor imagery transmitted to it from the OV-1Cs AAS-14 IR system. The components of the system are housed in a shelter carried by a 3/4-ton truck.

AN/TKQ-2 GROUND SENSOR TERMINAL
The AN/TKQ-2 Ground Sensor Terminal receives, dispays, and records radar imagery from the OV-1B APS-94 SLAR system. The system is housed in a shelter mounted on a 3/4-ton truck.

AN/TSQ-43 ( ) TACTICAL IMAGE INTERPRETATION FACILITY
The AN/TSQ-43 (TIIF ) is a truck mounted tactical imagery interpretation facility and contains all of the equipment required by the imagery interpreter for the interpretation and handling of photographic, SLAR, and IR imagery obtained from the Mohawk.

ES-38 PHOTO PROCESSING LABORATORY
The ES-38 is a portable film processing laboratory darkroom is truck mounted with complete provisions for developing and printing various types of film derived from the OV-1 sensor systems.