Edward Hampshire Livres

An illustrated study of the Soviet Navy s most powerful surface combatants of the Cold War. Will appeal to all those interested in the Soviet armed forces and Cold War technology.

In the years after World War II, new guided missile technology offered surface ships the chance to destroy airborne threats from afar, thereby preserving their role in naval warfare. This book examines the technology and combat performance of Britain's guided missile destroyers over half a century.

This fascinating title explains and analyzes the history, technology, and service of the Soviet Navy's nuclear attack submarines, the formidable high- tech boats on the front line of the Cold War at sea.

British naval policy during Harold Wilson's first two governments is examined, highlighting the Navy Department's response to six years of defense reviews and strategic shifts. The book delves into policy and strategic issues while considering broader historical influences on decision-making. It provides a detailed look at the interplay between government and military leaders during a pivotal period in shaping Britain's evolving global presence.

On April 2, 1982, Argentine armed forces invaded and captured the Falkland Islands, a British dependency in the South Atlantic long claimed by Argentina. In this comprehensive account, renowned naval historian Dr Edward Hampshire takes advantage of new sources to examine the Naval campaign that saw Britain eventually retake the islands. The Falklands Conflict was remarkable for many reasons: it was a hard fought, bloody and short conflict between a leading NATO power and one of the most capable armed forces in South America; it demonstrated the capabilities of a range of cutting-edge technologies including nuclear-powered attack submarines, Exocet missiles and Sea Harrier VSTOL aircraft; and it was fought many thousands of miles away from the Royal Navy's home bases. In this illustrated study, renowned naval historian Dr Edward Hampshire draws upon the latest available sources to offer a comprehensive examination of the Falklands naval campaign. Blow-by-blow accounts of key engagements, such as the sinking of the General Belgrano, the loss of HMS Sheffield, and the landings at San Carlos Bay, are presented alongside lesser known but equally important naval operations that helped shape the outcome of the conflict.

The Soviet Union's cruise missile submarines, from the modified Whiskey to the Oscar II classes, were among the most formidable vessels of the Cold War. They were initially designed to carry land attack nuclear-tipped cruise missiles designed to strike targets on the eastern coast of the United States. By the late 1960s, however, submarine-launched ballistic missiles made the nuclear land-attack mission unnecessary, so existing classes were converted to the "carrier killer" role, armed with antiship cruise missiles designed to destroy US super-carriers and other important naval targets. This fully illustrated study examines these powerful machines that were some of the largest and fastest submarines ever built. If war had broken out, they would have been at the forefront of the Soviet Navy's campaign to destroy NATO's sea power and cut America's sea link with Europe