How Strategic Airpower Has Changed The World Order

NEW BOOK RELEASE by PEN & SWORD MILITARY
ISBN: 9781036106560
192 PAGES   ·   HARDBACK
PUBLISHED: APRIL 2024. Pre-order direct from Pen and Sword Books.
RRP: £16
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In this book, co-authored by Dr Anthony Wells and Commander “Sharkey” Ward, the history and utility of land- and carrier-based strategic airpower is brought to life by the gallant exploits and photographs of B-17 aircraft “Quittin’ Time” and of its Navigator, “Fred” Julian in the Second World War, and by the courageous and unswerving dedication of “Sharkey” Ward’s Sea Harrier team in the Falklands war.

HIGHLIGHTS

• An authoritative analysis of strategic air power illustrated with a fine collection of photographs, some of which have never been seen before in print.
• Indicts Whitehall for ignoring eight decades of military history, paying lip-service to Strategic Maritime Policy, and investing extortionate sums in land-based tactical fighter aircraft.
• Shows how the RAF misled Ministers, resulting in misguided reductions in the Royal Navy’s global power projection capability.
• Examines how the United States Eighth Air Force, with its B-17s and P-51 Mustang fighters, waged a successful war against Nazi war machine targets, not against population centres.
• Discusses how the RAF carpet bombing of German cities would now be considered a war crime and had little effect at the time on Hitler’s ability to wage war.

The overarching message is that the strategic airpower lessons of the past eight decades underpin the urgent need for the UK government to invest more wisely in its Fleet so that the latter may work effectively in conjunction with the US Navy on the global mission to deter those that would harm us, and to maintain the freedom of passage of all shipping throughout the global commons. The authors show how a maritime deterrence strategy in a challenging world is critically underpinned by strategic air power at sea and on land.

COMMANDER ‘SHARKEY’ WARD flew the Phantom F-4K from the deck of HMS Ark Royal IV before going to the Ministry of Defence to oversee the final development of the Sea Harrier fighter aircraft. He was then appointed to receive the aircraft into service and to bring the aircraft and its crews up to full combat readiness. His success as ‘Mr. Sea Harrier’ was demonstrated in the Falklands air war, where he served with distinction in command of 801 Naval Air Squadron.

DR ANTHONY WELLS is unique insofar as he is the only living person to have worked for British Intelligence as a British citizen, and for US Intelligence as a US citizen at the highest level, and to have also served in uniform at sea and ashore in both the Royal Navy and the US Navy. He was trained and mentored in the late 1960s by the very best of the Second World War intelligence community, including Sir Harry Hinsley, the famous Bletchley Park codebreaker.