What can lead to prohibitive interference during reconnaissance missions?

Enemy air defenses can lead to prohibitive interference during reconnaissance missions because they pose a significant risk to the aircraft or drones conducting the reconnaissance. These defenses can include surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), anti-aircraft artillery, and other detection and targeting systems that can engage airborne platforms. As a result, reconnaissance missions may need to be planned more cautiously, often requiring the use of tactics such as low-altitude flying, electronic warfare, or stealth technology to evade detection and engagement. Proper reconnaissance missions must effectively balance the need for information gathering with the need to avoid detection and potential loss, making the threat of enemy air defenses a critical factor in mission planning.

In contrast, high altitude flights, while still risky, generally allow for a safer observation period if enemy air defenses are less effective at higher altitudes. The use of infrared technology and surveillance radar, while they may have their challenges, do not inherently present the same level of immediate danger to reconnaissance efforts as enemy air defenses do.