In Strike, veteran aviation photographer and author Rick Llinares takes us beyond Top Gun, into the new era of integrated Carrier Air Wing strike training at the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center in Nevada. Llinares puts readers into the cockpit with the nation’s top pilots as they undergo air-to-ground, air-to-air, search-and-rescue, and intelligence training in the military’s most advanced aircraft. This book is the first profile of the U.S. military’s latest pilot training facility and procedures, including unprecedented access to the latest in warfare techniques and technology. Includes riveting and informative first-person accounts from the instructors, fleet air crews, and commanders, and 200 color photos of the aircraft in today's modern air force.

Strike: Beyond Top Gun

History

Llinares, Rick

Military

Zenith Pr

Warfighters takes a first-hand look at how the U.S. Air Force creates its most elite, highly trained aircrews, and provides an inside look at the USAF Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, one of the Air Force's most highly classified programs.

Warfighters: A History of the USAF Weapons School and the 57th Wing (Schiffer Military/Aviation History)

Lloyd, Chuck

Americas

Schiffer Military History

In this second installment in the Warfighters series, author/photographers Rich Llinares and Chuck Lloyd provide an in-depth look at the United States Marine Corps aviation organization and its specialized training unit the Marine Weapons and Tactics Squa

Warfighters 2: The Story of the U.S. Marine Corps Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1) (Schiffer Military/Aviation History)

Adversary takes an inside look at the dedicated adversary tactics units within the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps. Every unit in this highly specialized group, from the Navy's well known TOPGUN program to the US Air Force's elite 414th Combat Training Squadron is reviewed. The Marine Corps Sniper squadron and Navy reserve units are also covered. Over the course of a two year time-frame, authors Rick Llinares and Chuck Lloyd were afforded unprecedented access to each of the five remaining aggressor squadrons. Join the authors as they go inside the best air combat training units anywhere in the world. Fly with USAF F-16 Vipers, Navy F/A-18 Hornets and Marine F-5E Tigers during actual training missions. Hear directly from actual aggressor pilots as they describe what it's like to simulate the bad guy. Learn how they fly their 'Soviet fighters' against American airman in mock air battles. The book covers the history of the adversary programs in the American military as well as exploring the current air combat environment Modern threat aircraft flown by the former Soviet Union as well as the three American aggressor fighters are also included. Playing the role of the 'bad guy' in the dangerous environment of aerial combat is not an easy task. Adversary pilots must first be superb fighter pilots. They must also be excellent teachers of the art of air combat, masters of their trade. Their job is to teach, to take the best fighter pilots in the world and make them even better. Adversary tells their story in dramatic photography and fascinating text.

Adversary: America's Aggressor Fighter Squadrons (Schiffer Military History)

Engineering & Transportation

Transportation

'The silence of the inky black night is broken by the distant rumble of turboprop engines droning even closer. Out of the darkness comes the unmistakable sound of weapons being brought to bear. Tracer rounds arc downwards lighting up the sky and a seemingly endless stream of shell-fire tears at the ground, as an unseen night hunter plies its trade. This sort of power and precision can mean only one thing, a US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) AC-130 'Spectre' Gunship is on station'.The airmen and aircraft of AFSOC are certaily amongst the elite of the aviation world, flying some of the most unusual and powerful aircraft in the USAF inventory, and providing a unique and hightly specialized service to the combat force. Although the first use of 'Special Operations' aircraft came during World War II, it was the Vietnam War that became the channel for the employment of modern clandestine aviation platforms. This led to the birth of the 'Gunship' concept initially in the shape of the elderly AC-47 'Spooky', followed by the AC-119 'Stinger' and then the AC-130 'Spectre'. Allied to this came the specialized MC-130 with its scissor nose, designed to pluck downed airmen from hostile territory, as well as the infamous HH-3 'Jolly Green Giant' rescue helicopter.However, it was the ill-fated 'Operation Eagle Claw', the attempt to recue American hostages from the Embassy in Tehrahn that proved to be the catalyst that formed the dedicated Special Operations Command that exists today. Now in the 21st century the AFSCOC continues to play an exceptional role within the Air Force, and operates some of most distinctive aircraft in the world.Much has been written about the exploits of special operations aircraft in the Vietnam War, and also titles are available on individual aircraft types, however, this 'MDF Extra' brings together in one volume all of the special operations aircraft of today, (with a homage to those of the past) and includes the AC-130 'Spectre', MC-130 'Combat Talon', MC-130P 'Combat Shadow', EC-130 'Commando Solo/Rivet Fire', MC-130 'Combat Spear', CV-22 'Osprey', MH-53 'Pave Low', MH-60 'Pave Hawk' and C-17 'SOL II', looking in detail at their specifications, operations, combat roles, combined with aircrew comments, walk-around and 'in-action' images.

US AIR FORCE: Special Operations Command

Evans, Andy

SAM_Publications