Product Description

Weapons design is as crucial an aspect of a combat aircraft's development as the work of the airframers or propulsion specialists. Soviet and Russian combat aircraft generally have a well-earned reputation as capable fighting machines -- a reputation due in no small part to the punch they pack.

This new book examines the development of different classes of weapons carried by Soviet/Russian aircraft. One chapter is devoted to cannons, while others cover missiles developed by various design bureaus, including the now-famous Vympel, Raduga and Zvezda companies -- air-to-air missiles, from the Mikoyan KS-1 anti-shipping missile of the mid-1950s to 'smart weapons' of today, such as the laser-guided Raduga Kh-29L and TV-guided Kh-29T. Due attention is also paid to unguided rockets, bombs (including guided bombs) and assorted gun pods, submunitions dispensers and podded target designator/guidance systems associated with some of the air-to-ground munitions.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1284783 in Books
• Published on: 2005-05-13
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 208 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781857801880
• BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Customer Reviews

An intermediate level resource
This book is, in my opinion, most suitable towards intermediate (learn most of what's commonly available online, already has a few other references on his shelf and starting to develop a general position based on what has been learned) level military enthusiasts. It provides an overview of a wide variety of Russian weapons with some details.

Definitely not suited for beginners (this is definitely not to be your first desk reference) due to the occasional errors pointed out by other reviewers. Don't worry, the errors are quite obvious and a more experienced reader will filter them out automatically, but a beginner will ingest some funny stuff indeed.

History Yes Technologicaly accurate NO
If you want a concise and brief history of Russian/Soviet Airborne arms development this is a good book for you. However there are so MANY Technical screw-ups in the book to make it almost worthless as a Desk reference. Many tables have the wrong designations, Incomplete data, misspelled words etc. Worst off is this book does NOT include information about many particulars of weapons systems. Even Obsolete ones. If you want technical information on weapons, you are far more likely to find it in Yefm Gordon's Famous Russian Aircraft series. Mikoyan MiG-31 (Famous Russian Aircraft) The MiG-31 book in that series is by FAR more complete on the R-33/R-37 family than this book for example.

This book is a unique resource
I have never seen another book like this on this topic. The pictures are fantastic and there is lots of interesting history and comments on the weapons development and such. The color photos are amazing. I found it very interesting how the author broke up the development by design bureau. I paid alot more at the book store than what Amazon is asking for.