Description
Book SynopsisThis definitive overview of the development and use of artillery makes the complex artillery systems of today understandable, while at the same time showing how they have evolved and how they are likely to change in the future. The author, until recently chief of artillery for the British Army, is considered one of the world's foremost experts on the subject. Unlike other books that either describe the technical aspects of present-day firepower or outline its history during specific wars, this work provides both a detailed explanation of the modern artillery system and a history of its development over the past six hundred fifty years, identifying its enduring principles and changing practices against an ever-changing background of technology, tactics, and strategy. When an earlier version of this book was published in 1989, it became known as the best single source on field artillery in the English language. This new edition has been fully updated and substantially expanded to cover a wide range of contemporary military debates and the role of firepower, and is certain to be regarded as the ultimate work on the subject for years to come.
J. B. A. Bailey assesses major developments over the past decade, analyzing artillery operations in airborne, urban, littoral, desert, jungle, mountain, artic, and nocturnal environments. He examines direct fire, counterfire, the suppression of enemy air defenses, and force protection methods. He explains field artillery from its primitive beginnings to its dominance as an art in World War II and its potent utility in operations since 1945 and into the future. The book will be of particular interest to military historians and those engaged in debating firepower's future. Published in cooperation with the Association of the United States Army. 15 photographs. 8 line drawings. Appendixes. Notes. Bibliography. Index. 7 x 10 inches.
Table of ContentsPart One: Operational Concepts, Chapter 1. Introduction, Chapter 2. Equipment and Munitions, Chapter 3. The Nature of Firepower, Chapter 4. The Battlefield, Part Two: Ancillary Services, Chapter 5. Command, control & communications (C3), Chapter 6. Artillery Logistics, Chapter 7. Artillery Training, Part Three: Specialized Missions, Chapter 8. Direct fire, Chapter 9. Counter battery (CB) fire, Chapter 10. Suppression of enemy air defence (SEAD), Chapter 11. Operations in special environments, Chapter 12. Survivability, Part Four: The Development of Fire Support, Chapter 13. Before 1914, Chapter 14. The First World War 1914–18, Chapter 15. 1918–1939, Chapter 16. The Second World War 1939–1945, Chapter 17. Limited war and counter-insurgency since 1945, Chapter 18. NATO and the Warsaw Pact, Chapter 19. Summary and conclusion, Appendix A Selective historical comparison of artillery concentrations and ammunition expenditure, Appendix B List of abbreviations, Appendix C Glossary, References, Index
