Customer Reviews

Naval Institute Guide to the Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet, 18th Edition

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This book is an essential reference for writing about naval warfare. The descriptions about the ships, including their ordnance, is considerable. In this day and age of the technothriller writing, accuracy is critical. These books provide an enormous amount of knowledge for the writer.

DR.NORMAN POLMAR is indeed a SCHOLAR of NAVAL INSTITUE of USA. His knowledge is very broad and in detail of a GREAT NATION: USA's NAVY.

I think the BOOK is written in great details about the structures & organisation of the US NAVY within the US DEPARTMENT of DEFENSE in the
hope of KEEPING WORLD-PEACE. Since, it is for such a LOFTY GOAL in mind,
the US NAVY is well equipted, well trained, well organised, well engineered by the BEST SHIP-BUILDING technologies of the USA.

It is indeed an eye-opener for me as a citizen of CHINA to appreciate what
a GREAT USA NAVY is all about!! I salute the USA NAVY & HER COMMANDERS.

IT is a BIG BOOK, I am in the process of reading, studying, digesting &
enjoying the details of the US FLEET. But once, I started it won't make me
stop because it is indeed very interesting. Interesting in LEARNING the
AMERICAN INGENUITY in SHIP BUILDING, in particularly in WARSHIP building
for keeping WORLD PEACE!!

The PACIFIC WAR happened 65 years ago, it was a war on PACIFIC between
the US FLEETS & JAPAN's FLEETS. The outcome is history, but the INGENUITY
& DEDICATION of THE USA NAVY is ongoing and nonstop for the progress of
MANKIND. I wish to learn from the SPIRITS of AMERICAN NAVY & FRIENDS!!

I shall keep you post for further review in future when I complete reading
such a GREAT BOOK: SHIPS & AIRCRAFT of THE US FLEET, 18th edition.

Until then, I remain your friend from HONG KONG,CHINA.

BEST REGARDS,
STEPHEN M. YUNG,
HONG KONG,CHINA.
TEL:(852) 97541382

The book is top drawer! It is thick, and has just the right size print for study. The data compiled in it is thorough and enlightening. Polmar knows his stuff & I find his signature "state of the fleet" chapter always at the front of the book, an accurate & straightforward no guff reckoning.
In its pages you will find all ships of the most powerful navy the world has ever witnessed!
I highly recommend it to all professionals, students and enthusiasts of the US Navy.

THE ANSWERS TO SO MANY NAVAL REFERENCE QUESTIONS

ABOUT THE NEW EDITION: #18 - E-Z TO SUBMERGE ONESELF INTO FOR THE DAY

Though much of the text is the same or almost the same as in the last editions, this edition has almost completely updated the photos used and has enlarged appendixes. This volume has over 900 photographs, almost half are new, 60 line drawings and 5 appendixes. Also, many weapons systems that were in development in recent editions have been updated along with new photos and operational histories.


NOTHING HERE IS STILL CLASSIFIED SO READ THIS EDITION TO YOUR HEARTS CONTENT - JUST DON'T MAIL THEM OUT OF THE COUNTRY,

IN A NUTSHELL: REAL DETAILS AND AN INVENTORY OF ORDNANCE TOO!

Want to find out details about standard U.S. Naval defense systems? This is the book. Ideal for defense enthusiasts, analysts, historians and academic researchers, this volume has very hard to find data and info about virtually everything the U.S. Navy can float, submerge, haul, shoot, or fly.

Frankly in most countries the material here would be restricted, and in fact there is warning in the inside cover that states that; this is to be "sold in the United States, Canada and American possessions only".

A new edition comes out about 3 times per decade and includes everything but the latest, still classified, U.S. military hardware.

STILL HERE -- OKAY THERE'S MORE:

If you save the older issues, you will have a rather comprehensive chronicle of the nuts and bolts of the U.S. Navy - real interesting stuff. For instance, if you go back to say the thirteenth edition, you can find a full description of the Iowa Class Battleships and the compositions of a variety of their 16" projectiles. Want to know about the jets used in the Vietnam War? Look at the 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th editions, and you'll find cool aircraft and helicopters as well as Crusiers that still fired artillery. Would you like to see and read about the add-on, stand-off weapons from the Gulf-War era. You'll find them in editions 13-16 listed under "WEAPONS SYSTEMS". How fast or far do our missles fly? How large a warhead do they carry and what type of guidance system do they use are all included for countless systems in each and every volume of this text.

BOTTOM LINE: If this type of stuff is interesting too you, this text can take the place of counting sheep at night, as it does for me.

The good news is that NOTHING IN THIS TEXT IS STILL CLASSIFIED SO YOU CAN READ THESE VOLUMES TO YOUR HEARTS CONTENT - JUST DON'T MAIL THEM OUT OF THE COUNTRY.

BOTTOM LINE: INCLUDES EVERYTHING EXCEPT ARMOR SPECS & SUBMARINE DIVING DEPTHS

About the only kinds of information you won't find here have to do with armor protection and the maximum depth that submarines can dive to. For some reason this kind of stuff is considered much more sensitive than the operational workings of advanced fired control systems and missle launchers.

If you are a student of the US Navy, than this book is for you. It covers everything you need to know about ships, aircraft and weapons systems that are in the US Navy fleet and also future procurements. The author is an expert in this field having written this publication for over the past 20 years.
Definitely worth taking a look at.

The evolution of the U. S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard since September 11 gives one an insight into the U.S. military culture and reflects values of the U. S. culture in general. I have all of Polmar's Ships and Aircraft books, from pre - Reagan to post 911, showing a fascinating evolution from a blue water anti - USSR force to todays smaller, more flexible force.. Required reading for military history buffs.