Weapons and equipment Books

Book SynopsisSharpen your knowledge of swords with Kristen B. Neuschel as she takes you through a captivating 1,000 years of French and English history. Living by the Sword reveals that warrior culture, with the sword as its ultimate symbol, was deeply rooted in ritual long before the introduction of gunpowder weapons transformed the battlefield.Neuschel argues that objects have agency and that decoding their meaning involves seeing them in motion: bought, sold, exchanged, refurbished, written about, displayed, and used in ceremony. Drawing on evidence about swords (from wills, inventories, records of armories, and treasuries) in the possession of nobles and royalty, she explores the meanings people attached to them from the contexts in which they appeared. These environments included other prestige goods such as tapestries, jewels, and tablewareall used to construct and display status.Living by the Sword draws on an exciting diversity of sources from archaeology, milTrade ReviewLiving by the Sword cuts through a broad swath of history, and such a scope is necessary for a project that charts how swords were understood over time. Kristen Neuschel's Living by the Sword will interest a wide range of readers. * Comitatus *Table of ContentsIntroduction: What Do Swords Mean? 1. Swords and Oral Culture in the Early Middle Ages 2. Swords and Chivalric Culture in the High Middle Ages 3. Swords, Clothing, and Armor in the Late Middle Ages 4. Swords and Documents in the Sixteenth Century Conclusion

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Book SynopsisSharpen your knowledge of swords with Kristen B. Neuschel as she takes you through a captivating 1,000 years of French and English history. Living by the Sword reveals that warrior culture, with the sword as its ultimate symbol, was deeply rooted in ritual long before the introduction of gunpowder weapons transformed the battlefield.Neuschel argues that objects have agency and that decoding their meaning involves seeing them in motion: bought, sold, exchanged, refurbished, written about, displayed, and used in ceremony. Drawing on evidence about swords (from wills, inventories, records of armories, and treasuries) in the possession of nobles and royalty, she explores the meanings people attached to them from the contexts in which they appeared. These environments included other prestige goods such as tapestries, jewels, and tablewareall used to construct and display status.Living by the Sword draws on an exciting diversity of sources from archaeology, milTrade ReviewLiving by the Sword cuts through a broad swath of history, and such a scope is necessary for a project that charts how swords were understood over time. Kristen Neuschel's Living by the Sword will interest a wide range of readers. * Comitatus *Table of ContentsIntroduction: What Do Swords Mean? 1. Swords and Oral Culture in the Early Middle Ages 2. Swords and Chivalric Culture in the High Middle Ages 3. Swords, Clothing, and Armor in the Late Middle Ages 4. Swords and Documents in the Sixteenth Century Conclusion

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Book SynopsisRifle Marksmanship is the newly revised, official guide to planning and executing training on the M16-series rifles (M16A1, M16A2, M16A3, and M16A4) and M4 carbine. This handbook is developed by the US Army for commanders, leaders, and instructors to help create training programs and materials for soldiers to complete the United States Army rifle marksmanship program. It offers a comprehensive guide to the specifics and capabilities of each weapon and an introduction to the fundamentals of marksmanship, followed by complete guidance through each of the five stages of rifle marksmanship training. Topics covered include: Weapon Characteristics, Accessories, and Ammunition Range Safety and Risk Management Preliminary Marksmanship and Mechanical Training Advanced Optics, Lasers, and Iron Sights 10-Meter Target Offsets and 25-Meter Zero Offsets Training Aids, Devices, and Scorecards Replete with information and training materials for learners and instructors, this handbook provides the guidance for all shooters, whether in combat or in hunting and recreation, to operate their rifles with deadly proficiency.

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Book SynopsisThe Ultimate Collector's Guide to 500 Handguns in Full Color!Ultimate Handguns brings together five hundred classic examples, organized from A-Z by country and gunmaker's name, of handguns of all types, from the eighteenth to the twenty-first century, which makes it a serious reference book for collectors, enthusiasts, and sportsmen alike. It shows the different types of handgun which the world has used to wage war, break and defend its laws, and hone its sharpshooting skills. From historic pistols like flintlock English Collumbell holster pistol to modern revolvers like the Smith & Wesson Model 29 Magnum, made famous in the Dirty Harry movies, the full gamut is covered in Ultimate Handguns. Inside, you will find: Over five hundred handguns in full color, including close-up details of particular features of the weapon Full descriptions and technical specifications of each weapon Introductory passes to famous makers such as Colt and Smith & Wesson

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Book SynopsisCountries around the globe are continuously investing money into weapon development and manufacturing. While weapon design has been a relevant topic, from the Middle Ages to today, the morality of this practice is not commonly presented in research. The Morality of Weapons Design and Development: Emerging Research and Opportunities is an essential scholarly resource that presents detailed discussions on ethical dilemmas in weapons design and innovations. While highlighting relevant topics including projectile and nuclear weapons, the true costs of war, design in peacetime, and weapons development and justification, this book is an ideal resource for researchers, engineers, graduate students, and professionals who have an interest in weapons design, development, and ethics.

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Book SynopsisThe two-handed swords found in modern museums are often so large and elaborately decorated that the onlooker might question whether such an apparently impractical weapon could ever have been a serious weapon of war. Yet during the Late Middle Ages, although never numerous, such weapons could instil dread in those that faced them on the battlefield and in skilled hands posed a very real danger, being capable of inflicting fearsome wounds. Neil Melville explains how, from the late-13th century, technological advances made the development of larger swords requiring both hands both possible and desirable. From their origins in Germany he traces their development and divergence into regional variations. He examines the evidence for their use on the battlefield over 300 years, most notably in the hands of the Swiss, the German landsknechts and the Scottish clans, before considering their later use in fencing and as ceremonial weapons. Practical advice on fighting with the two-handed sword is also given, drawing on contemporary fencing manuals. The detailed and informative text is beautifully enhanced by dozens of illustrations.

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Book SynopsisAlthough only 100 examples were produced, the 155mm Gun Motor Carriage M12 served with distinction as an infantry-support weapon and in particular as a bunker-buster during the U.S. assault on the Siegfried Line in the winter of 1944-45.

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Book SynopsisThrough historic photos, this volume traces the development, production and deployment of this iconic piece of military equipment from the drawing boards to the Cold War battlefields of Europe.

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Book SynopsisAn in-depth history of the small arms made by the Sterling Company of Dagenham, Essex, England, from 1940 until Sterling was purchase by British Aerospace in 1989 and closed. The Lanchester and the Patchett Machine Carbines were both developed at Sterling Engineering Co Ltd during World War II. With the appearance of the earliest Patchett prototypes the military began testing them in ever more rigorous trials, wherein the Patchett kept proving its merits. This led to limited UK adoption of the MkII Patchett as the L2A1 in 1953, and the first Sterling', the MkII, as the L2A2 in 1955. Then came Sterling's Crown Jewel', the superb Mk4, adopted as the general-issue UK Gun, Sub-Machine, L2A3' in September, 1955\. Manufactured briefly but intensively by ROF Fazakerley (1955-1959) and by Sterling for over 30 years, nearly 4000,000 were made. Unlike wraparound bolt designs like the UZI, the Sterling was capable of being truly silenced with standard 9mm ball ammunition (as opposed to being merely supressed). The excellent silenced Sterling-Patchett Mk5, adopted as the UK L34A1 in 1967, is the only Sterling remaining in British Service. All prototypes, military Marks, commercial and licensed production models of the Sterling are described, including the Canadian C1 SMG and the Indian 1A Carbine. Contains notes on manufacturing methods and procedures as used at Sterling, ROF Fazakerley, Canadian Arsenals Limited and the Indian Small Arms Factory, Kanpur (Cawnpore), plus extensive notes on inter-model interchangeability, serial number ranges, quantities produced, client-country purchases of the various Sterling Marks, and accessories.

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Book SynopsisIt is said that artillery won the Second World War for the Allies - that Soviet guns wore down German forces on the Eastern Front, negating their superior tactics and fighting ability, and that the accuracy and intensity of the British and American artillery was a major reason for the success of Allied forces in North Africa from El Alamein, in Italy and Normandy, and played a vital role in the battles of 1944 and 1945\. Yet the range of weapons used is often overlooked or taken for granted - which is why this highly illustrated history by Simon and Jonathan Forty is of such value. They stress the importance of artillery on every front and analyse how artillery equipment, training and tactical techniques developed during the conflict. The selection of wartime photographs - many from east European sources - and the extensive quotations from contemporary documents give a graphic impression of how the guns were used on all sides. The photographs emphasize the wide range of pieces employed as field, anti-aircraft and anti-tank artillery without forgetting self-propelled guns, coastal and other heavyweights and the development of rockets. The authors offer a fascinating insight into the weapons that served in the artillery over seventy years ago.

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Book SynopsisHow did technical advances in weaponry alter the battlefield during the reign of Queen Victoria? In 1845, in the first Anglo-Sikh War, the outcome was decided by the bayonet; just over fifty years later, in the second Boer War, the combatants were many miles apart. How did this transformation come about, and what impact did it have on the experience of the soldiers of the period? Stephen Manning, in this meticulously researched and vividly written study, describes the developments in firepower and, using the first-hand accounts of the soldiers, shows how their perception of battle changed. Innovations like the percussion and breech-loading rifle influenced the fighting in the Crimean War of the 1850s and the colonial campaigns of the 1870s and 1880s, in particular in the Anglo-Zulu War and the wars in Egypt and Sudan. The machine gun was used to deadly effect at the Battle of Omdurman in 1898, and equally dramatic advances in artillery took warfare into a new era of tactics and organisation. Stephen Manning's work provides the reader with an accurate and fascinating insight into a key aspect of nineteenth-century military history.

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Book SynopsisWeapons of myth and scandal, that is the best way to describe the spigot weapons deployed by the British in the Second World War. Unlike conventional mortars, a spigot mortar does not have a barrel through with the round is fired. Instead, the general concept involves a steel rod - the 'spigot' - onto which the bomb is placed before it is fired. This design was, as David Lister reveals, the basis of a number of successful weapons used during the Second World War. The myth of the PIAT man-portable anti-tank weapon is, for example, tied closely to British paratroopers struggling in the ruins of Arnhem with an inadequate design, one inferior to the German equivalent. Similarly, the myth of the Blacker Bombard is of a useless weapon, one of dubious quality, that was dumped on the unsuspecting Home Guard. In reality, neither scenario is the case. Both weapons were devastating creations of war, often superior to any other nation's counterpart. At sea, the Hedgehog anti-submarine weapon was another powerful spigot weapon. It was undoubtedly capable of sweeping the U-boats from the sea and even winning the Battle of the Atlantic before it had really begun. That it did not is one of the great scandals of the Second World War, one hidden by wartime secrecy until now. In _Defeating the Panzer-Stuka Menace_ the author explores a large number of spigot weapons from the Second World War, many of which were created by the fertile mind of one of Britain's great weapon inventors, Latham Valentine Stewart Blacker.

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Book SynopsisThe crossbow is an iconic weapon of the Middle Ages and, alongside the longbow, one of the most effective ranged weapons of the pre-gunpowder era. Unfortunately, despite its general fame it has been decades since an in-depth history of the medieval crossbow has been published, which is why Stuart Ellis-Gorman's detailed, accessible, and highly illustrated study is so valuable. The Medieval Crossbow approaches the history of the crossbow from two directions. The first is a technical study of the design and construction of the medieval crossbow, the many different kinds of crossbows used during the Middle Ages, and finally a consideration of the relationship between crossbows and art. The second half of the book explores the history of the crossbow, from its origins in ancient China to its decline in sixteenth-century Europe. Along the way it explores the challenges in deciphering the crossbow's early medieval history as well as its prominence in warfare and sport shooting in the High and Later Middle Ages. This fascinating book brings together the work of a wide range of accomplished crossbow scholars and incorporates the author's own original research to create an account of the medieval crossbow that will appeal to anyone looking to gain an insight into one of the most important weapons of the Middle Ages.

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Book SynopsisThe history of weapons and warfare is usually written about from the point of view of the battles fought and the tactics used. In naval warfare, in particular, the story of how these weapons were invented, designed and supplied is seldom told. Chris Henry, in this pioneering study, sets the record straight. He describes how, to counter the extraordinary threat posed by the U-boats in the world wars, the Royal Navy responded with weapons that kept open the vital supply routes of the Atlantic Ocean. He also celebrates the remarkable achievements of the engineers and inventors whose inspired work was essential to Britain's survival.

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Book Synopsis'Drawing on the stories of the soldiers who were there, this dramatic history of the SAS is full of bravado. Forged to fight guerrillas in the sweltering jungles of Malaya... Ryan writes with the authority of a man familiar with every nuance of the regiment's tactics, training, weapons and equipment.' - Sunday Times CultureTasked with storming mountain strongholds in the desert. Trained to hunt down the world's most wanted terrorists. This is the extraordinary story of 22 SAS. The history of the modern SAS is one of the great successes of post-war Britain. Since it was revived in 1950 to combat Communist insurgents, the Regiment has gone from strength to strength, fighting covert wars in Oman, Borneo, Northern Ireland, the Falklands, the Persian Gulf and beyond. In the process, it has become one of the most indispensable, and at times controversial, units in the British armyToday, the SAS is regarded as the world's leading Special Forces unit, renowned for its demanding Selection course and its relentless ability to adapt to the changing nature of warfare. More than anything else, however, it is the determination and ingenuity of the SAS soldiers that has made the Regiment what it is today. Drawing on his extensive network of contacts and his own experiences, Chris Ryan tells the story of the men on the ground. From the earliest patrols in the Malayan jungle, through to the storming of the Iranian Embassy, the daring raids behind enemy lines in the Gulf War, and up-to-minute missions to capture or kill notorious terrorists - this is the gripping, no-holds-barred account of Regiment operations. Above all, it is a story of elite soldiers fighting, and triumphing, against seemingly impossible odds.Trade ReviewPraise for Chris Ryan * : *Ryan chooses fiercely up-to-the-minute plots, and laces them with an exceptional eye for detail and insider knowledge ... Fearsome and fast-moving. * Daily Mail *The action comes bullet-fast and Ryan's experience of covert operations flash through the high-speed story like tracer rounds * The Sun *Nobody takes you to the action better than Ryan, because he's the real deal, and this muscle-and-bone thriller will have fans' blood pumping. * Evening Standard *

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Book Synopsis'Drawing on the stories of the soldiers who were there, this dramatic history of the SAS is full of bravado. Forged to fight guerrillas in the sweltering jungles of Malaya... Ryan writes with the authority of a man familiar with every nuance of the regiment's tactics, training, weapons and equipment.' - Sunday Times CultureTasked with storming mountain strongholds in the desert. Trained to hunt down the world's most wanted terrorists. This is the extraordinary story of 22 SAS. The history of the modern SAS is one of the great successes of post-war Britain. Since it was revived in 1950 to combat Communist insurgents, the Regiment has gone from strength to strength, fighting covert wars in Oman, Borneo, Northern Ireland, the Falklands, the Persian Gulf and beyond. In the process, it has become one of the most indispensable, and at times controversial, units in the British armyToday, the SAS is regarded as the world's leading Special Forces unit, renowned for its demanding Selection course and its relentless ability to adapt to the changing nature of warfare. More than anything else, however, it is the determination and ingenuity of the SAS soldiers that has made the Regiment what it is today. Drawing on his extensive network of contacts and his own experiences, Chris Ryan tells the story of the men on the ground. From the earliest patrols in the Malayan jungle, through to the storming of the Iranian Embassy, the daring raids behind enemy lines in the Gulf War, and up-to-minute missions to capture or kill notorious terrorists - this is the gripping, no-holds-barred account of Regiment operations. Above all, it is a story of elite soldiers fighting, and triumphing, against seemingly impossible odds.Trade ReviewPraise for Chris Ryan * : *Ryan chooses fiercely up-to-the-minute plots, and laces them with an exceptional eye for detail and insider knowledge ... Fearsome and fast-moving. * Daily Mail *The action comes bullet-fast and Ryan's experience of covert operations flash through the high-speed story like tracer rounds * The Sun *Nobody takes you to the action better than Ryan, because he's the real deal, and this muscle-and-bone thriller will have fans' blood pumping. * Evening Standard *

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Book SynopsisThis book is a compilation of CRS reports on conventional weapons systems. The first report focuses on the background and issues for Congress on cluster munitions, which are air-dropped or ground-launched weapons that release a number of smaller submunitions intended to kill energy personnel or destroy vehicles. The next report focuses on the background and issues for Congress on Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile (BMD) Defense Program. The subsequent report discusses the background and issues for Congress on the Coast Guards programs for procuring National Security Cutters (NCS), 25 Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPCs) and 58 Fast Response Cutters (FRCs). Finally, the process and procedures that currently apply to congressional consideration of foreign arms sales proposed by the President is reviewed. This includes consideration of proposals to sell major defense equipment, defense articles and services, or the retransfer to third-party states of such military items.

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Book SynopsisThe history of warfare cannot be fully understood without considering the technology of killing. In Firepower, acclaimed historian Paul Lockhart tells the story of military technology from the Renaissance to the dawn of the atomic era -- five-hundred-year-long "age of firepower" during which the evolution of weaponry transformed the conduct of warfare in the West.Weapons technology had always influenced warfare. But the introduction of gunpowder weapons at the close of the Middle Ages made military technology the largest single factor shaping warfare's tactics, strategy, and logistics. Over the five centuries leading up to World War II, the art of war revolved around the ever-more-effective delivery of firepower, and the driving force of weapons development was the compulsion to make that possible. But for centuries, even as it became more effective, military weaponry remained simple and affordable enough that nearly any state could afford to equip a respectable army; weapons could be used and used again until they physically wore out. That all changed, very suddenly, around 1870. Widespread industrialization and rapid advances in metallurgy and chemistry meant that by the start of World War I, only a handful of great powers could afford to manufacture their own weapons. Revolutions in military technology, in short, triggered a revolution in the structure of power in the West, significantly reducing the number of nations that could act assertively in international politics -- and reducing the others to a condition of permanent subordination.Going beyond the battlefield to consider the profound political and social contexts of armed conflict, Firepower ultimately reveals how the evolution of weapons technology, and the uses to which it has been put, have together transformed human history.

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Book SynopsisAn in-depth, comprehensive treatment of the principles of electronic warfare (EW). Written by leading experts in the field, this authoritative book takes a systematic approach to exploring EW theory, mathematical models, and quantitative analysis. It offers a detailed examination of the basic targets of EW operations, a thorough presentation of critical radar jamming methods, and definitions of the effectiveness criteria for EW systems and techniques. Key areas covered include: mathematical models for active, passive and active-passive jamming signals; jamming methods based on the use of false radar and thermal targets; the effectiveness of specific jamming methods; a mathematical definition of electronic antiaircraft defense systems as targets; and the reduction of radar detectability. This is a useful resource for practitioners and academics interested in the development and application or radio electronic systems for military and civilian use.

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Book SynopsisThe numerous wars and constant tensions among the states of the Middle East have made the region fertile ground for the development of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Some Middle Eastern countries are trying to acquire WMD to compensate for conventional weapons imbalances or to match WMD programs undertaken by neighbouring states. This book examines the different countries of the Middle East and their nuclear, biological and chemical weapons capabilities.

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Book SynopsisThe arrow, essentially a specialized spear, is among the most ancient human inventions and can be found in cultures throughout the world. The need to launch a projectile farther and with greater accuracy than is possible with the human arm gave rise to a variety of solutions. Spearthrowers which extend the length of the user's arm and therefore transfer greater power to the projectile were developed far back in prehistory, and both the American Indian atlatl and the Australian woomera are examples of this technology. Blowpipes, too, are recorded in various cultures and represent another ancient technology. It was soon discovered that a stringed bow could launch a small spear-like projectile we now know as the arrow, and this combination became the dominant method for shooting projectiles for tens of thousands of years. A wonderfully simple device, the arrow and bow revolutionized both hunting and warfare, not only because of the speed, force, and accuracy that could be achieved, but by the fact that the arrow makes almost no sound as it flies toward its target, providing an essential element of surprise. In The Arrow: A Brief History, Hugh D. H. Soar describes the transition from hand-thrown spear to bow-launched arrow and then follows the arrow's developments in cultures around the world and across time. The book describes arrows found in Neolithic sites; those used by North and South American Indians--including a detailed discussion of poison-tipped arrows; arrows used in China, Japan, and Mongolia; and finally the arrow in Europe, where it was successfully paired with the longbow during the Middle Ages. The author completes his survey with the changes in technology introduced during the twentieth century though the use of aluminum and other light-weight metals as well as synthetic materials to construct parts of the arrow. Relying on his considerable knowledge accumulated through decades of research, the author provides the reader with an appreciation for a humble device that, coupled with the bow, changed the history of the world.

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Book SynopsisFirst published in 1853, Cavalry: Its History and Tactics had a major impact on military theorists and officers for decades—it was reprinted as a manual during the American Civil War—and its influence on European cavalry performance can be traced into World War I. It is an intelligent work which discusses the history and development of cavalry over the ages, advocates a program of reform for Britain's horsed troops, and covers many aspects of equipment, training, drill, organization, formation, and battlefield tactics. The author, an experienced and gifted cavalryman, first served in the Austrian army, then joined the British army's 15th Hussars in 1839, fought in India, and became the regimental riding master. Captain Nolan's 1852 tour of European armies, wide reading in many languages, and service in Europe and India makes Cavalry an extraordinary statement on mid-nineteenth-century theory and practice.As historian Jon Coulston explains in his introduction, Nolan was writing at the cusp of technological change, drawing upon the experiences of the Napoleonic Wars, continental suppression of the 1848 Revolutions, and Britain's wars in India, but with an eye to firepower developments on the eve of the Crimean War. In 1854, at the Battle of Balaklava, Nolan rode with the written order which unleashed the Charge of the Light Brigade, an action in which he lost his life. Presented here as the first modern reprint, completely retypeset and with a new introduction and further reading by historian Jon Coulston, Nolan's Cavalry remains a hallmark of military history.

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Book SynopsisThe purpose of the book is to provide guidance to politicians, diplomatic, high ranking military officers, military experts, journalists and academics during the preparation of national policies on non-proliferation, disarmament and arms control. The United Nations disarmament machinery, including the Conference on Disarmament could use this book as a reference when preparing different proposals of actions to be implemented by the international community in order to preserve international peace and security. Another purpose of this book is to serve as a guidance to high ranking military officers, disarmament experts, journalists and academics in their daily researcher work, as well as to serve as teaching materials in post-graduated studies in the field of disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control.

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Book SynopsisCongress has long been concerned about whether U.S. policy advances the national interest in reducing the role of the People''s Republic of China (PRC) in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and missiles that could deliver them. Recipients of China''s technology reportedly include Pakistan and countries that the State Department says support terrorism, such as Iran and North Korea. This book, updated as warranted, discusses the security problem of China''s role in weapons proliferation and issues related to the U.S. policy response since the mid-1990s. China has taken some steps to mollify U.S. concerns about its role in weapons proliferation. Nonetheless, supplies from China have aggravated trends that result in ambiguous technical aid, more indigenous capabilities, longer-range missiles, and secondary (retransferred) proliferation. According to unclassified reports to Congress by the intelligence community, China has been a "key supplier" of weapons technology, particularly missile or chemical technology.

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Book SynopsisEngineers learn the latest electronic warfare (EW) techniques and technologies related to on-board military platforms with this authoritative resource. Practitioners gain expert design guidance on technologies and equipment used to detect and identify emitter threats, giving them an advantage in the never-ending chess game between sensor guided weapons and EW systems. This unique book offers deeper insight into EW systems principles of operation and their mathematical descriptions, arming professionals with better knowledge for their specific design applications. Moreover, readers get practical information on how to counter modern communications data links which provide connectivity and command flow among the armed forces in the battlefield. Taking a sufficiently broad perspective, this comprehensive volume offers a panoramic view of the various physical domains - RF, Infrared, and electronics - that are present in modern electronic warfare systems.Table of ContentsIntroduction to EW Scenarios. Evolution of Signal Emitters/Sensors. EW Sensor Systems. RF Direction Finding (DF) and Emitter Location Techniques. Active EW Equipments. Countermeasure Techniques.

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