By Norman Polmar (Editor’s note: This is the fifteenth in a series of blogs by Norman Polmar, author, analyst, and consultant specializing in the naval, aviation, and intelligence fields. Follow the full series here.) During my professional career I have consulted to three foreign navies—Australian, Chinese, and Israeli—as well as to several foreign commercial firms.
By Norman Polmar and Robert S. Norris, Naval Institute Press, 2009. Reviewed by Captain James B. Bryant. U.S. Navy (Retired) This is more than a well-written and researched reference book, but also an examination by experts of the evolution of nuclear weapons policy. When you absolutely need to know everything about how, why and where
Fifty years ago, the world held it’s breath. When Navy reconnaissance jets and U-2 spy planes confirmed the existence of Soviet nuclear missile bases under construction in Cuba, the United States demanded their removal and instituted a naval quarantine of the island. The 13 days at the end of October 1962 came to be called
October marks 50 years since the tense standoff between the United States and Soviet Union that came to be known as the Cuban Missile Crisis. In the summer of 1962, the Soviets began moving nuclear missiles and nuclear-capable bombers to bases in Cuba, within easy striking distance of targets within the continental United States. Following
We are drawing closer to completion of the new “Into the Lion’s Den” exhibit in the Cold War Gallery, and we’d like to take the opportunity to remember the fourth U.S. Navy surface warship involved in the 1972 night battle in Haiphong Harbor. We previously shared stories about USS Providence and USS Rowan, as well
The 2012 Submarine History Seminar was held on the evening of 24 April 2012, as part of the National War College Commandant’s Lecture Series in historic Roosevelt Hall at the War College’s Fort McNair campus in southwest Washington, DC. 2012 marks the 11th year that the Naval Historical Foundation has partnered with the Naval Submarine
By Jerry Miller, Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD, ( 2010) Reviewed by Charles Bogart This well-written and crafted book is an insider’s look at how the United States’ strategic nuclear weapon stockpile grew from three weapons in 1945 to over 10,000 in 1980 and then began to shrink to its present level of some 2,000.
Submarine Force History Seminar: “OUTLAW SHARK – The Beginning of Over The Horizon Targeting” During World War II and into the Cold War, torpedoes remained the primary offensive weapon for American attack submarines. With the development of surface-to-surface missiles such as Harpoon and Tomahawk, the U.S. Navy’s undersea arm had the capability to hit targets
