Sérgio Santana

During the Cold War, the Soviet Union's Air Defence Forces (PVO) were responsible for defending Soviet airspace. Comprising three specialized branches—radio-technical troops, surface-to-air missile troops, and fighter aviation (IA-PVO)—its primary role was to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft, from bombers to reconnaissance planes. The IA-PVO operated separately from the Soviet Air Force, and its pilots were considered elite, chosen for their exceptional flying skills and granted higher salaries due to the immense responsibility they carried, particularly in the event of a NATO airstrike. One notable figure in the IA-PVO was Major Oleg Petrovich Vydrenok. A graduate of the Stavropol Higher Military Aviation School in 1976, he was one of only 20 air lieutenants out of 200 to be declared ‘Military Pilot Third Class.’ Over his 14-year career, Vydrenok flew various aircraft, including the Tupolev Tu-128 Fiddler and Mikoyan MiG-31 Foxhound, gaining extensive experience in Cold War missions. In Soviet Cold War Pilot, Vydrenok's training and operational experiences offer a detailed comparison with Western air forces and insight into the techniques developed to counter NATO aircraft like the SR-71 Blackbird and B-52 Stratofortress, showcasing his critical role in the Soviet air defence system.

Once known as the ‘Switzerland of the Middle East’, an island of economic stability and social progress, Lebanon was shattered by a civil war that raged from 1975 until 1990. While Volume 1 of this mini-series concentrated on the conflict pitting the central government against different factions and alliances of Christians, Sunni and Shi’a Moslems, leftists, and the Israeli and Syrian armed forces from its beginning in 1975 until the Israeli Operation Stone of Wisdom (or Operation Litani) in 1978, Volume 2 continues with the period from 1978 until 1981. With its armed forces of a size comparable to that of the strength of the active components of the contemporary US Army and led by politicians pursuing aggressive intentions towards its northern neighbour, Israel gradually established itself in control over much of southern Lebanon and all of Lebanese airspace. In turn, Syria found itself facing not only a growing insurgency and unrest at home, but also strong opposition inside Lebanon. Moreover, a seemingly endless series of air battles with the Israeli air force exposed a growing technological gap with its primary opponent, forcing it to deploy ever larger contingents of its air defences into Lebanon. After almost culminating in a major war in 1981, the situation was defused through international pressure: nominally at least, a relatively quiet period was to follow before the next storm. Focusing on military-related developments, and containing much exclusive detail and specially commissioned illustrations, Volume 2 of Lebanese Civil War dissects the military forces of Israel, Syria and the many Lebanese militias, their equipment, intentions and capabilities, and provides a detailed, blow-by-blow account of combat operations into 1981.

The nuclear-powered supercarrier USS Nimitz is the oldest carrier in the US fleet. Commissioned in 1975, CVN-68 is named after famed navy admiral Chester Nimitz and has been at the front line of many naval operations in its 40-plus years of service. Nimitz’s design and development, construction, sea trials, commissioning, and first cruise are presented in concise, detailed text. Also covered are all of the ship's systems, including electronics, defensive/offensive armament, command and control, and aircraft launching and recovery. Nimitz’s military campaigns—including the Gulf of Sidra Incident, Operation Desert Shield/Storm, and Operations Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom—are also covered in detail, including their results. The book concludes with its latest operational deployment, Operation Inherent Resolve, and the ship’s current status. Part of the Legends of Warfare series.

Formerly known as the ‘Switzerland of the Middle East’, an island of economic stability and social progress, Lebanon was shattered by a civil war that raged from 1975 until 1990. Pitting the central government against different factions and alliances of Christians, Sunni and Shi’a Moslems, leftists, and Syrian armed forces, this multifaceted conflict experienced a major escalation when Israel launched an invasion with the aim of destroying the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), in 1982. Also known as the First Lebanon War, or Operation Peace for Galilee, the Israeli enterprise was run in cooperation with Christian allies and the self-proclaimed Free Lebanon State. Except for attacking the PLO and surrounding its leadership in West Beirut, it provoked a major showdown with Syrian armed forces deployed inside Lebanon, and resulted in a series of bitter battles. Ever since, fighting on the ground and in the sky of the Beka’a Valley is a synonym for modern-day conventional air-land battle in the age of high-technology warfare. Focusing on military-related developments, and rich in exclusive details and illustrations, ‘Lebanese Civil War: Israeli Invasion, 1982’ is dissecting military forces, their equipment, intention and capabilities, and their combat operations.

This book is the first dedicated exclusively to Northrop Grumman’s E-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System—JSTARS—America’s current-day ground surveillance, battle management, and command and control aircraft. The E-8’s complete history, from the early origins of the JSTARS concept to the latest available information on current use, is presented. The book also traces the evolutionary path followed by the aircraft (developed from the Boeing 707), from the various studies that resulted in the definitive version of the aircraft, to its various models since its first use in 1991. Technical aspects on the E-8’s mission equipment are covered in detail, and operational features such as the actual requirements involved in real missions are also described, all based on official documentation. The book also examines the role played by the JSTARS in all combat operations it took part in throughout its career, from Desert Storm to the present, and discusses the concept into the future.