Without the bravery and skill of EB-66 operators, US losses would
undoubtedly have been much higher during the Vietnam War, with large
tactical strikes on North Vietnam and Arc Light B-52 raids only
available when EB-66 support was possible. Studies of air combat in
the Vietnam War inevitably focus on the MiG-killing fighter
engagements, B-52 onslaughts or tactical strikes on the Hanoi region.
However, underlying all these was the secretive 'electron war' in
which highly-skilled electronic warfare officers duelled with Soviet
and North Vietnamese radar operators in the attempt to enable US
strike forces to reach their targets with minimal losses. Orbiting at
the edge of heavily-defended territory, the vulnerable EB-66s
identified and jammed the enemy's radar frequencies with electronic
emissions and chaff to protect the American bombers. Their hazardous
missions resulted in six combat losses, four of them to SA-2 missiles
and one to a MiG-21, and they became prime targets for North
Vietnamese defences when their importance was realised. This
illustrated study focuses on the oft-overlooked B-66 series, examining
their vital contributions to the Vietnam War and the bravery of those
who operated them in some of the most challenging situations
imaginable. Author Peter E. Davies also explores how the technology
and tactics devised during the period made possible the development of
the EF-111A Raven, an invaluable component of the Desert Storm combat
scenario over Iraq and Kuwait in 1991, and the US Navy's EA-6B
Prowler, which entered service towards the end of the Vietnam War.
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Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9781472845061
Publisert
2020
Utgave
1. utgave
Utgiver
Bloomsbury UK
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok
Forfatter