The Ballistic Missile Threat Handbook [Paperback]

Jack Spencer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2000

Since the end of the Cold War, the threat of attack from Russia has lessened, but the threat of an accidental or unauthorized launch has increased as economic problems and political uncertainty make Russia's command-and-control system less secure. At the same time, other countries are developing missiles that can reach America's homeland, its troops abroad, and its friends and allies. This clearly increases the threat of a missile attack against the United States. The Ballistic Missile Threat Handbook is a useful reference tool for legislators, policy makers, or anyone concerned with missile defense, nuclear proliferation, and national security issues. Included are detailed missile statistics and diagrams for nine nations and color photos of sixteen select missiles. The handbook also provides valuable insight into a troubling situation that must be arrested if global stability and prosperity are to flourish in the coming century.

Product Details

• Paperback: 90 pages
• Publisher: Heritage Foundation (February 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0891952519
• ISBN-13: 978-0891952510
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,590,831 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ballistic Missile Threat Overview, July 19, 2002

By 

the_man_with_no_name "man_with_no_name" (Almaden Valley, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ballistic Missile Threat Handbook (Paperback)

Change "Handbook" to "Overview" and then the title would be more accurate. While nicely done and good at hitting the highlights, the book has a serious lack of detail. For those looking for some introductory quick facts, this book is just fine. If you need to know more, look elsewhere.

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent source of hard data., January 28, 2003

By 

Trevor Pyle (Rolla, Missouri, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ballistic Missile Threat Handbook (Paperback)

This particular book is an excellent, easy to read source of information on worldwide ballistic missile programs. The data is consistent with other sources, and it does a good job of detailing just how pervasive the ballistic missile threat is. Of particular use are the graphics that indicate which major cities and nations are threatened by each nation's missile programs, this brings the raw data into clear focus. Although I respect Mr. Spencer's work, the political leanings of the Heritage Foundation and their propensity to "preach to the converted" makes their stance a little hard to agree with. I would much prefer a more balanced, less politically-motivated presentation of the facts.

However, this does not lessen the importance of the data that is presented. It is clear, concise, and very affordable.

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ballistic Missile Threat Handbook, March 11, 2002

By 

James M. Williams (Wasilla, AK United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ballistic Missile Threat Handbook (Paperback)

I am using this book as part of an Army War College research paper. It has an amazing amount of up-to-date, detailed, unclassified information on short range, medium range, and intercontinenetal ballistic missiles. Also it adds projections on missile proliferation through 2015 based on unclassified intelligence reports. If you need a resource on this subject with a conservative viewpoint, this is a must-read. I showed it to my son's girlfriend, who is a journalism major. She was shocked at what she did not know and asked why this information was not more public. I challenged her to write about it using this book as one of her sources.