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Cold War list

I have used the term "Cold War" as a time frame to cover the period from the end of the Second World War and its immediate aftermath to the break up of the Soviet Union.

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In 1926, when the young John Hayes entered the Royal Navy's college at Dartmouth, he pledged to serve the Lords of the Admiralty 'at their discretion'. It was a service which would last for forty-two years, taking the author from the South China Sea to the North Cape and from peace to three historic catastrophes of the war at sea — the sinking of the Prince of Wales, the Repulse and Convoy P017.
The Battle and the Breeze sheds much new light on many key aspects of post- 1945 naval policy, such as the controversy surrounding CVA01 (the fleet carrier replacement programme), the crucial decision to procure the Sea Harrier, the lack of airborne early warning at the time of the Falklands war, and the Chevaline and Type 22 programmes. Ashmore also makes fair and sound judgements on his contemporaries such as Lord Louis Mountbatten.
RISING TIDE: The Untold Story of the Russian Submarines that Fought the Cold War by GARY E. WEIR and WALTER J. BOYNE. Of all the secrets the Soviet Union kept, none were more closely guarded than those involving their submarines. Throughout the Cold War, Soviet submariners patrolled the world's oceans, playing a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with their American counterparts in a silent struggle hundreds of feet below the surface.
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The most important warships built in the United Kingdom since the end of World War 2 are hardly ever out of the news these days. The name ship of the class, HMS Invincible, was part of the Falklands Task Force and played a major, even decisive, role as the fighter control ship. Its Sea Kings and Sea Harriers, together with those of the flagship, HMS Hermes, kept the Argentine strike aircraft at bay and eventually won air superiority over the disputed islands.
HMS Hermes 1959-1984: A pictorial history by Lt.Cdr. Tony Dyson; as Flagship to the Royal Navy Fleet during the Falkland Conflict, HMS Hermes became a household name known to millions. Sadly, the ship was withdrawn from active servicein 1984.
This volume provides a comprehensive analysis of power projection ashore. Michael Evans describes all aspects of amphibious operations from planning to execution, including such elements as ship design, command and control and fire support for the landing force. With reference to many previous operations from Gallipoli to Grenada, he demonstrates how they can he the key to unlock military stalemate, if properly conceived and executed.
A. Cecil Hampshire's study of the Royal Navy's transition to the nuclear age.
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In the post-1945 era the situation regarding the developement of destroyers has been made even more complex by the development of new weapons including guided missiles, the staggering evolution of radars and other electronic systems, the increased performance and lethality of modern aircraft, and of course the advent of the nuclear powered submarine.
The first edition of this book appeared in 1983, only a year after the Falklands and too early to reflect the changes brought about to the Navy's frigate force as a result of that war. By 1990 the results were clearly visible on many ships — notably improved electronic warfare devices, increased light AA armament, new CIWS gun-based systems, medium calibre guns introduced on the later Type 22s and greater attention to fire and damage control facilities in all ships.
The Type 21 Frigate broke new ground in warship design when it entered service in the early 1970s. Its novel propulsion system of four gas turbines produced a speed and dash which, together with its fine appearance, rapidly engendered a spirit in the class that has remained ever since. Of private design, the Type 21 has provoked criticism and a degree of envy from the establishment. During the Falklands conflict John Lippiett served in HMS Anbuscade when HMS Ardent and HMS Antelope were sunk by enemy bombs.
The Type 22s are the largest frigates ever built for the Royal Navy, and the Batch III version is almost the same size as the 'County' class destroyers or a World War 2 light cruiser. They have proved to be exceptional anti-submarine warfare vessels and, as experience in the Falklands War showed, they can give a good account of themselves in other roles too. Moreover, the large hulls have been able to incorporate new weapons and equipment, a glaring contrast with the Type 42s which were built to much greater financial and political constraints.
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Click this image to go to Alfred Draper's " Smoke Without Fire " page ! The Future of British Sea Power - ed. Geoffrey Till: The articles contained in the book are by the country's leading experts, such as the Chief of the Defense Staff, Lord Lewin; Sir John Fieldhouse, the First Sea Lord; Sir Frank Cooper, The Ministry of Defense's Chief Scientist; Professor Sir Ronald Mason; and many others. In this authoritative book Cdr C. J. Meyer OBE, RN, a serving submarine specialist, displays his expertise in the field of the surface ship and studies the career of a remarkable class of vessels. There are details of the origins, construction and operations; all the 'Leander' weapons systems — Seacat, Ikara, Exocet, Sea Wolf and more — and helicopters — Wasp and Lynx — are covered Click to go to Bernard Ireland's " Warships of the World: Escort Vessels " page at camberpete.co.uk!
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In this volume, Richard Hill follows his powerful exposition of Anti-Submarine Warfare in the 'Combat Roles' series with a similarly pertinent study of Air Defence at Sea. He addresses clearly the wider strategic complications of The US Maritime Strategy and expanding Soviet naval influence, as well as the details of technological developments and the variety of weapons systems.
The first in the series covers the imprecise art of anti-submarine warfare: how to deal with a submarine threat which has proved itself to be a devastating weapon in two world wars and, most recently, in the South Atlantic. Today's submarines are vastly more potent than their predecessors and pose a terrible threat to supply shipping, surface warships and through nuclear missiles
The maritime dimension of Western European security is often ignored even though, as Eric Grove writes, " . . . without the 'Atlantic', NATO quite literally falls apart". This study brings the subject up to date, analysing the current strategic configuration and how this might develop in the near future.
During the past decade (1970s) advances in technology have brought about fundamental changes in naval strategy. The changes have followed each other at regular intervals, sometimes with a rapidity that has rendered costly new equipment obsolescent, even obsolete, before it has properly been worked up to full operational efficiency.