In the 1930s and 1940s, TSR means torpedo, spotter and reconnaissance in contemporary naval usage. A different use of the abbreviation in the 1960s does not change that earlier meaning. The Royal Navy attempted to substitute recognizance for reconnaissance to distinguish positive recognition from less certain observation. The intended difference was between believing something was seen and knowing what had been identified. Attempts by admirals to introduce new vocabulary have a long history.
Notable Point · 45:36-46:41
TSR and the distinction between observation and identification
TSR's contemporary expansion and a proposed distinction between reconnaissance and recognizance connect aircraft roles with confidence in identification.