B-52 Stratofortress vs SA-2 "Guideline" SAM

Vietnam 1972–73

B-52 Stratofortress vs SA-2 "Guideline" SAM cover

Description

Ever since its introduction in the late 1950s, the B-52 Stratofortress has been the United States' primary heavy bomber and a powerful symbol of its immense military might. Its powerful electronic countermeasures equipment (ECM) was thought to make the B-52 immune to ground-to-air missile attack, but in Vietnam, and later conflicts such as Operation Desert Storm in 1991, it came up against the Soviet-designed SA-2 SAM which used heavy salvos of missiles to bring down the bombers.

The losses of several of its most feared, powerful, and supposedly invincible bombers per night to a torrent of Soviet missiles during the closing stages of the Vietnam War was sobering to Americans, but the B-52s' crushing attacks virtually eliminated North Vietnam's defenses and forced a peace settlement. This fascinating book analyzes the roles of the SA-2 operators and the B-52 Electronic Warfare Officers (EWOs) using specially commissioned artwork as well as first-hand accounts, and traces the cat-and-mouse tactics that each side employed.

Table of Contents

Introduction /Chronology/ Design and Development /Technical Specifications /The Strategic Situation /The Combatants /Combat /Statistics and Analysis /Aftermath /Further Reading /Index

Product details

Published Oct 23 2018
Format Paperback
Edition 1st
Extent 80
ISBN 9781472823625
Imprint Osprey Publishing
Illustrations 20 b/w; 30 col
Dimensions 10 x 7 inches
Series Duel
Short code DUE 89
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Peter E. Davies

Peter E. Davies has specialized in the aircraft of…

Illustrator

Jim Laurier

Jim Laurier is a native of New England and lives i…

Illustrator

Gareth Hector

Gareth Hector is a digital artist of international…

Resources

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