How Strategic Airpower has Changed the World Order: From the 100th Bomb Group in 1943 to the Falklands and Beyond - Hardcover

MacCartan-Ward, Nigel David; Wells, Dr Anthony; Wells, Anthony R

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 103610656X ISBN 13: 9781036106560

Publisher: Pen and Sword Military, 2024

Synopsis

“The authors have provided an interesting and often eye-opening read. They argue how an effective maritime-deterrence strategy is critically supported by enhanced strategic naval air power… the points they make are worth the read and provide a starting point for discussions of how best to employ strategic air power.” - The Journal of the Air Force Historical Foundation

In this book, 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 unforgiving and unswerving dedication of “Sharkey” Ward and his Sea Harrier team in the Falklands 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.

About this title

About the Author

Commander “Sharkey” Ward flew the Phantom F-4K from the deck of HMS Ark Royal IV before going to the Ministry of defense 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 with 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.

Anthony Wells received a Master's and Doctoral degrees from the University of London, his Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree from the University of Durham, and was trained at the Royal Naval College Dartmouth, the School of Maritime Operations, and by the Honourable Alastair Buchan at Trinity College, Oxford. He was trained in the 1960s by the most distinguished exponents of deception and other clandestine operations from the World War Two period. He was the youngest Senior Lecturer and Tutor in uniform as a newly promoted Lieutenant Commander at the Royal Naval College Greenwich 1972–1974. While in the Royal Navy he served in Washington and at sea with the US Navy. After becoming a US citizen he has worked at sea in USS Coronado and USS Florida. Dr. Wells has led programs in the US National Intelligence Community and has led programs to mitigate the worst effects of terrorist attacks on personnel and infrastructure, political systems, and communities. In conjunction with other companies Dr. Wells has led the way in the development of key C4ISRT systems and technologies and their applications to countering the worst effects of terrorism, other forms of irregular warfare and non-state-sponsored insurgency and revolt. Dr. Wells is a foremost expert in the science and art of modern Information and Deception Operations, in both the offensive and defensive modes. He currently works with a US-UK group on the leading edge of cyber related systems and operations. He is a Visiting Senior Research Fellow in the Department of War Studies, King’sCollege, London, specializing in intelligence.

Edition details

• Publisher: Pen and Sword Military
• Publication date: 2024
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 103610656X
• ISBN 13: 9781036106560
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 192