Carrier: A Guided Tour of an Aircraft Carrier (Tom Clancy's Military Reference) [Paperback]

Tom Clancy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 1999

They are floating cities with crews of thousands. They are the linchpins of any military strategy, for they provide what has become the key to every battle fought since World War I: air superiority. The mere presence of a U.S. naval carrier in a region is an automatic display of strength that sends a message no potential enemy can ignore. Now, Tom Clancy welcomes you aboard for a detailed look at how these floating behemoths function. With his trademark style and eye for detail, Clancy brings you naval combat strategy like no one else can. Carrier includes: * Takeoffs and landings: flying into the danger zone
* The aircraft onboard: their range, their power, their weaponry
* The role of the carrier in modern naval warfare
* Exclusive photographs, illustrations and diagrams
Plus: An interview with the U.S. Navy's Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Jay Johnson

Product Details

• Paperback: 348 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade; 1 edition (February 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425166821
• ISBN-13: 978-0425166826
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #135,296 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Tom Clancy is America's, and the world's, favorite international thriller author. Starting with THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, all thirteen of his previous books have hit #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. His books, THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, PATRIOT GAMES, CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER and THE SUM OF ALL FEARS have been made into major motion pictures. He lives in Maryland where he is a co-owner of the Baltimore Orioles.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An in-depth look of a US Carrier Battle Group, March 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Carrier: A Guided Tour of an Aircraft Carrier (Tom Clancy's Military Reference) (Paperback)

Clancy's newest non-fiction book continues the tradition of excellence in explaining to the common person a specific aspect of the military, this time a Carrier Battle Group. Clancy not only focuses on the current status of the CVBG's, but also tells the history, and what he believes the future of the CVBG's will be. The book is filled with historical, as well as technical facts about CVBG's, and also discusses many of the future plans for the United States Navy. A must-have book for anyone interested in the past, present, or future of United States Navy Carriers.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Overview, April 19, 2002

By 

John G. Hilliard (Toronto Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Carrier: A Guided Tour of an Aircraft Carrier (Tom Clancy's Military Reference) (Paperback)

This is just a wonderful book on the topic. Clancy and co. have done a great job of taking the reader through the ships in question and really explaining the different types, parts, and jobs associated with an Aircraft Carrier. Clancy also does a good job in explaining what it is like to live and work on one of these ships. He also takes us through some of the training that takes place to get into the job. He also adds a good amount of detail of what the typical types of missions these ships and battle groups have today, what they did in the cold war and the possible missions upcoming.

I was surprised at the number of countries that also have aircraft carriers not to mention the different types the U.S has. Clancy takes us through a long inventory of all the different countries that have aircraft carriers today, what kind of ships they are and what are the strengths and weaknesses of the model. Another interesting part of the book was the description of all the countries currently making the aircraft carriers and how good / bad they are at it. I enjoyed the fact that the catapult technology really only comes the U.S. as no one else has mastered it.

Overall this was an interesting, easy to read and very informative book. If you are interested in aircraft carriers then this should be your first stopping point. A good book well worth the money.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a must for military buffs, July 25, 2001

By 

M. H. Bayliss "book queen" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Carrier: A Guided Tour of an Aircraft Carrier (Tom Clancy's Military Reference) (Paperback)

This is a most unusual book in that it goes into excruciating detail about the Navy, the Air Force and carriers. In fact, even though I found it fascinating reading, it's more than most people would want to know unless you're a real fanatic. At times I felt that a foreign power could learn how to duplicate our success by reading this book -- hopefully Clancy left some military secrets a secret!

The most enjoyable parts of the book for me were the descriptions of the pilot training (and the amazing prowess of Navy flyers who have to catch a "string" upon landing so they don't fly right off the deck), life aboard a carrier and the interview with the navy official. The chapters devoted to the layout and structure of the carriers were less interesting from my point of view.

A very detailed approach to carriers and their role in protecting our role in world affairs.