Böcker i Middle East@War-serien

Gustavo Marón explores the downing of Argentine CL-44 over Soviet Armenia with color images and previously unseen photographs.On 18 July 1981, a Canadair CL-44D Swingtail cargo aircraft of the Argentine company Transporte Aéreo Rioplatense mysteriously disappeared over the Soviet Republic of Armenia while on a flight from Iran via Turkey in the direction of Cyprus.Four days later, on 22 July 1981, the Vremya TV broadcast in Moscow forwarded a report from the Soviet TASS news agency which stated that an aircraft of unidentified origin had entered Soviet territory in the vicinity of the Armenian city of Yerevan. According to the same release, the aircraft had ignored all calls from air traffic control and ended up crashing and burning after colliding with another Soviet aircraft.With this cryptic information began one of the most impressive and least known stories of Argentine civil aviation: the shooting down of the freighter registered as LV-JTN by the Soviet Air Defense Force (V-PVO). The episode, heavily covered up by Moscow, was part of a much larger geopolitical scenario: the clandestine transport of US-made weapons and spare parts that was taking place between Tel Aviv and Tehran by virtue of a secret agreement between the Iranian and Israeli governments. All this at a time when the former was subjected to an arms embargo in revenge for the hostage-taking that occurred in 1979 at the US Embassy in Tehran.The Islamic Republic of Iran, formed as a result of the Islamic Revolution that had broken out that same year, was an avowed enemy of Israel, whom it considered a mere Zionist regime that imposed itself in the occupation of Palestine. The Iranian religious leader Ruhollah Khomeini did not recognize the State of Israel, which he referred to simply as 'Little Satan'. However, the Iranians desperately needed supplies of US weapons as a few months earlier, on 22 September 1980, they had been invaded by Iraq. The Israelis saw the possibility of carrying out a sideline business and thus embarked on a clandestine supply operation.The intelligence services of the Soviet Union soon became aware of the secret arms trafficking and decided to divert one of the involved aircraft into their airspace then force it to land in their territory with the aim of exposing the operation and all its protagonists. By interfering with radio communications and manipulating navigational aids, the KGB managed to divert the Argentine CL-44D from its route, with it ending up inside Soviet airspace. However, the Sukhoi Su-15TM interceptors of the V-PVO failed in their mission, and thus their ground control ordered the destruction of the target.The Soviet conspiracy of silence began after discovering that its Air Defense Force had destroyed an Argentine-flagged civil plane, with an Argentine crew, which was flying empty. Juliet Tango November explores this incident in detail and is richly illustrated with color images and previously unseen photographs.

This is the third edition of the book originally published in the 1990s, and providing a detailed record of the armed forces raised in the British Protectorate of Aden and those units deployed to serve there.

Volume 6 of this mini-series continues the story of the men and machines of the first half century of military aviation in the Arab World. It looks at the first efforts to revive both the REAF and the RIrqAF, along with events in the air and on the ground elsewhere in the Arab World until the beginning of 1941.

Drawing on extensive research, including first hand accounts it provides a compelling overview of the first three years of the ongoing conflict in Syria.

This book describes and illustrates the key combatants and the most intense operations of Iran and Iraq. Destroyers, frigates, corvettes, and fast missile crafts are all covered in thoroughly researched text, photographs and custom-drawn color profiles, as are aircraft and helicopters supporting them.

Ground-breaking research about Czechoslovak arms exports to the Middle East, based on official documentation.

This series is a compact yet comprehensive guide to the operational history of the Iraqi Air Force from its inception in 1931 to its destruction in 2003.

Ground-breaking research about Czechoslovak arms exports to the Middle East, based on official documentation.

The story of Iraq's ambitious and advanced weapon development programmes in the 1970s and 80s, including the Al-Hussein, a stretched long-range variant of the famous Soviet R-17E.

Details about the IAF and its history never before collected in one coherent book, including a complete summary of all Israeli Air Force aircraft types, models, and numbers with photographs.

A detailed reconstruction of the operational history, camouflage colours, markings, and operational service of MiG-designed fighters in six air forces of the Middle East, from 1967-1975.

The first authoritative and richly illustrated account about air warfare in the Arab World of the period 1911-1955. Volume 4 cover the period of 1936-1941.

This volume is covering one of the least-well-known conflicts in the Middle East, fought in Oman during the second half of the 1950s; and one of very few insurgencies that was successfully suppressed. As such, it provides a host of valuable 'lessons learned'.

Using newly-released secret intelligence sources, neglected memoirs and much more besides, this book tells the story of military aviation in Yemen since 1962.

The first inclusive history of the war between the US-led coalition and Iraq, fought 1991, largely based on data released from official archives, and spiced with content acquired in the course of dozens of interviews.

From the 1970s until the 2000s, the spear tip of the USN air wings was the F-14 Tomcat. Illustrated by over 100 photographs and colour profiles, 'Tomcats of the Storm' is an exclusive source about some of least-well known air combats fought by US Navy's fighter crews in recent history.

An exclusive source of reference on the operational history of MiG-15, MiG-17, and MiG-19 fighter jets in Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Morocco, and Syria from 1955 until 1965. This is the first volume in a mini-series.

Volume 2 takes up the account after Iraq withdrew from Khuzestan and is based upon material from both sides, from US Intelligence data, British Government documents and secret Iraqi files. Iraq¿s withdrawal exposed the great southern city of Basra to Iranian attack but it was shielded by fortifications based upon a huge anti-tank ditch, the so-called Fish Lake, which the Iranians tried to storm in the summer of 1982. This bloody failure left Tehran in a position where prestige prevented a withdrawal into Iran but the armed forces lacked the resources to bring the conflict to a favourable conclusion. During the next four years the Iranians tried to outflank the Fish Lake defences initially through the marshes in the north and finally through an attack on the Fao Peninsula which increased national prestige but was a strategic failure and paved the way for Iraq¿s massive victories in 1988. This followed a series of successful defensive battles in which the Iranians were driven back with great loss. This account describes the battles in greater detail than before and, by examining them, provides unique insights and ends many of the myths which are repeated in many other accounts of this conflict.

Virtually born in battle, collecting precious combat experience and playing involved in so many conflicts, the Iraqi Air Force remains one of the most misinterpreted military services in the Middle East. Wings over Iraq provides a uniquely compact yet comprehensive guide to its operational history, officers, aircraft, and major operations.

1973: the First Nuclear War provides an in-depth insight into the Israeli efforts to prevent the deployment of Egyptian Scud missiles - whether armed with Soviet nuclear warheads or not - in the Port Said area.

Originally envisaged and acquired as a `pure' interceptor, before long the Mirage F.1 in Iraqi service proved a highly capable multi-role platform aircraft, and was widely deployed not only for ground attack but also anti-shipping purposes, as an aerial tanker, and for delivering long-range pin-point attacks.

Based on decades of research and newly available sources in Arabic and European languages, and illustrated with authentic photography, Volume 2 of the 'Air Power and the Arab World, 1909-1955' continues the story of the men and machines of the first half century of military aviation in the Arab World.

Designed by Sydney Camm as a swept wing, daytime interceptor with excellent maneuverability, the Hunter became the first jet aircraft manufactured by Hawker for the Royal Air Force. It set numerous aviation records and saw widespread service with a large number of RAF units in Europe and abroad. When the Royal Air Force received newer aircraft capable of supersonic speeds to perform the interceptor duties, many Hunters were modified and re-equipped for ground-attack and reconnaissance missions instead. Because they were deemed surplus to British requirements, most of these were subsequently refurbished and exported to foreign customers - so also to Iraq and Jordan. Hawker Hunters at War covers every aspect of Hunter's service in the two countries, from in-depth coverage of negotiations related to their export to Iraq and Jordan, to all-important details of their operational service during 1958-67. It culminates in detailed examination of their role in the June 1967 Arab-Israeli War (also known as the 'Six Days War') and extensive tables listing all aircraft delivered and their fates. Almost entirely based on interviews with retired commanding officers and pilots of the former Royal Iraqi Air Force, Iraqi Air Force and Royal Jordanian Air Force - as well as plenty of unpublished official documents from British, Iraqi and Jordanian archives - the narrative is providing an unprecedented insight into a number of contemporary affairs. Profusely illustrated with well over 100 photographs and 15 color profiles showing all aspects of camouflage, markings and various equipment, Hawker Hunters at War is the ultimate profile of Hunter's colorful and action-packed service in Iraq and Jordan during a period when this legendary type formed the backbone of local air forces.

Based on decades of consistent research, but also newly available sources in both Arabic and various European languages, Volume 1 tells the story of the men and machines of the first half century of military aviation in the Arab World.

The Iran-Iraq War was one of the bloodiest conflicts of the 20th century and accidentally created the current nightmare of Islamic fundamentalist terrorism. There have been many books on the conflict, but this is the first detailed military history using materials from both sides, as well as materials obtained from US Intelligence circles and Briti