Multispectral imagery also can reveal the depression left by tank treads. The U.S. Air Force is one of the largest consumers of commercial imagery in the world. Eagle Vision's advantage lies in its ability to download and process satellite imagery in the field. Instead of waiting for remote sensing data to arrive in theater from distant groundstations via a national command center, a deployed Eagle Vision receives imagery downloads as the satellite passes overhead. If the satellite is scanning a nearby battlefield, the imagery is processed in near real time.
Users can task the commercial satellite to scan specific areas as needed.
Having this capability also permits a theater commander to monitor his own facilities and take remedial action to forestall an attack. Vulnerabilities that would be revealed to an adversary can be discovered and rectified before the foe can even receive the same imagery through conventional means. When the Eagle Vision groundstation dish locks onto the satellite as it passes within range of its theater deployment, it can accumulate as much as a 5,000-kilometer path of imagery 120 kilometers across. Landsat's multispectral imaging system can provide the same length of coverage as wide as 185 kilometers, although at less resolution than Spot. In remote areas where military leaders had not anticipated operations, Eagle Vision can provide vital geographic data.