A TR-1A (U-2) spy plane at the Grand Forks Air Force Base (GFAFB) 'Friends And Neighbors Day' on May 27th 1989. Photo by Bob Nelson.
The aircraft carries a variety of sensors in the nose, Q-bay (behind the cockpit, also known as the camera bay), and wing pods. The U-2 is capable of simultaneously collecting signals, imagery intelligence and air samples. Imagery intelligence sensors include either wet film photography, electro-optic, or radar imageryÐthe latter from the Raytheon ASARS-2 system. It can use both line-of-sight and over-horizon data links. One of the most unusual instruments in the newest version of the U-2 is the off-the-shelf Sony video camera that functions as a digital replacement for the purely optical view-sight (an upside down periscope-like viewing device) that was used in older variants to get a precise view of the terrain directly below the aircraft, especially during landing.(Wikipedia)