U.S. Nuclear Arsenal: A History of Weapons and Delivery Systems Since 1945 [Hardcover]

Norman Polmar (Author), Robert S. Norris (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1557506817 | ISBN-13: 978-1557506818 | Publication Date: July 8, 2009

The atomic bomb ended the war against Japan in 1945 and became the centerpiece of U.S. and Soviet military strategy for the next 45 years. In the late 1940s the debate over whether the atomic bomb was the ultimate arbitrator of international differences led to the infamous carrier-versus-B-36 controversy in American defense policy; American school children in the 1950s practiced air raid drills as many feared an atomic attack against American cities; and billions were spent to develop and procure vast fleets of B-36, B-47, and B-52 nuclear bombers, that led to a still-alive legacy that is seen in the current B-1 and the B-2 stealth bomber controversies. In this comprehensive work, two leading weapons experts present a complete and fully up-to-date history of the development of U.S. nuclear weapons and detailed descriptions of the entire American nuclear arsenal, including the variety of systems capable of delivering them. Illustrated with more than 100 b/w photographs and 20 charts, the authors describe all of the nuclear weapons used in formulating American defense policies, including the U.S. Army's development of the 280-mm atomic cannon, atomic demolitions, and the atomic grenade launcher, along with the U.S. Navy's development of a carrier-based nuclear strike capability. Details are provided about the Navy's ASTOR nuclear torpedo, the 16-inch nuclear projectiles for the Iowa-class battleships, and even the Navy s drone helicopter designed to carry a nuclear depth charge. In addition, they discuss the nuclear missiles and rockets carried by the air-defense fighters within the United States and the nuclear-armed surface-to-air missiles ringing major U.S. cities and military bases. This new work is certain to be considered the definitive study of the subject.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Norman Polmar, a well-known defense analyst, has lectured and written frequently on nuclear weapons development for the U.S. Navy, Department of Energy, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and Defense Nuclear Agency. He is the author of many books including Aircraft Carriers, Strategic Weapons and Naval Institute Guide to the Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet, 18th Edition. Robert S. Norris is senior research associate at the Natural Resources Defense Council in Washington, DC, and the primary contributor to the council s series of Nuclear Weapon Databooks. He coauthors a monthly column on nuclear weapons in The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and is the author of the award-winning book Racing for the Bomb: General Leslie R. Groves, the Manhattan Project s Indispensable Man.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Naval Institute Press (July 8, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557506817
• ISBN-13: 978-1557506818
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 8.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #475,115 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #72 in Books > History > Military > Weapons & Warfare > Biological & Chemical

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Decent, but nothing new, July 28, 2009

By 

Michael Mcdaniel (California, MD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: U.S. Nuclear Arsenal: A History of Weapons and Delivery Systems Since 1945 (Hardcover)

An OK book, but rather disappointing. This book has a complete list of nuclear bombs and warheads, but focuses on the delivery platforms. It also lacks any information on nuclear physics or weapons design.

Personally, I'd look very, very hard for a copy of Chuck Hansen's "U.S. Nuclear Weapons", as that book remains the best unclassified reference. I had hoped that this work would be able to challenge Hansen's volume, but it falls short.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A missed opportunity..., July 30, 2009

By 

Christopher J. Ford (Moraga, California USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: U.S. Nuclear Arsenal: A History of Weapons and Delivery Systems Since 1945 (Hardcover)

This book is essentially a compendium of data that has already been presented in greater detail by other authors - notably Chuck Hansen's Swords of Armageddon, (And his earlier if dated book US Nuclear Weapons) or is readily accessible on the web or from previous published works. Many of the photographs are tired and have been reproduced many times before. There is little new insight or information here for anyone who has looked into this subject. Neither is there any real context about why various nuclear systems were developed. Above all there is no coverage of US nuclear testing which is a fundamental part of this story.

The book does have some value in that it puts all the information about weapons and delivery systems in one place for those unfamiliar with the subject. Also as a reference it is clear in its presentation and is thankfully relatively free of the political bias or moral outrage that bedevils so many books on nuclear history.

Given the authors reputations and previous research in this area, I was disappointed in this book and feel that an opportunity was missed. Certainly classification presents huge challenges in any book of this type, but an updated synthesis of post war nuclear weapons and delivery systems development is long overdue. This book is more of a catalogue than a history and it does not deliver as advertised.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent survey book on the US Nuclear Arsenal, July 27, 2009

By 

J. Rudy "Major, USAF" (Fairfax, VA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: U.S. Nuclear Arsenal: A History of Weapons and Delivery Systems Since 1945 (Hardcover)

Norman Polmar and Robert Norris state in the dust-jacket that the book "present[s] a complete and fully up-to-date history of the development of U.S. nuclear weapons and detailed descriptions of the entire American nuclear arsenal, including the variety of systems capable of delivering them." Polmar and Norris are each recognized defense analysts who have published numerous books and periodicals on nuclear weapons. These two experts deliver a book is fully successful in meeting these stated goals.

The book begins with a look at the evolution of American nuclear weapons development from the only operational uses of nuclear weapons in combat; through the post-Cold War drawdown. It reviews various topics such as Mutual Assured Destruction; the Strategic Triad. Polmar and Norris do a great job covering the essentials of understanding the key milestones in American nuclear policy.

With a foundational understanding of the nuclear weapon employment strategy, the reader is now ready to learn about the different types of weapons in the US arsenal. The first section focuses on nuclear warheads - the actual explosive devices capable of leveling cities. The entries for each warhead follow a standard format of a description; the production run; and the operational periods of availability for the weapon.

Chapter three focuses on strategic aircraft, which the authors state "Strategic aircraft are generally considered those that can reach an opponent's homeland." Many airpower proponents would modify this to state "are those that can reach more than 250 miles into an opponent's homeland," which would make the entries for the first sub-section focused on carrier-based attack aircraft more applicable for the tactical aircraft section. Airpower debates aside, both chapters follow the familiar format for the entries first introduced in the warhead section.

The balance of the book examine the strategic missile delivery systems; tactical missile delivery systems; artillery delivery systems; and anti-submarine weapons. Along with the weapons that were developed, the authors also document weapons that never made it past research and development, such as the Navy's A-12 Avenger. For readers looking for more information, the authors include a 2-page+ bibliography.

Many of the entries contain black and white photos of the warhead or delivery system being discussed. This is a great book to introduce the reader to the US nuclear arsenal covering the basic areas of the overall strategy of how the weapons would be used and also what weapons are available.