SUBMARINE WARFARE: Today and Tomorrow

by John E. & Richard Compton-Hall Moore ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 21, 1987

A refreshing change of pace from the recent spate of books on space warfare and Star Wars. This is, instead, an argument that the wave of the future in warfare is under the seas. Moore, editor of Jane's Fighting Ships and former commander of seven submarines, and Compton-Hall, director of England's Submarine Museum, demonstrate how, almost unbeknownst to the general public, the Soviets and the Western Allies rely heavily on the submarine as their most effective weapon (there are two to three hundred submarines constantly at sea, most fully armed). Most of their activity is, by its nature, concealed and these activities range from ""deploying, patrolling, listening, watching and waiting for action; submerged intelligence gatherers; midget intruder oceanographical and oceanological vehicles; pipe-line and cable layers with attendant mini-subs; mine-layers and mine hunters; oil rigs and mining installations; and fixed ground acoustic surveillance arrays."" The authors quickly devolve into presenting this as an ""everything-you-ever. wanted-to-know. . .""-type of book. Everything from tactics of underwater warfare (torpedoes, anti-air missiles, mines) to types of propulsion to weapons system development (anti-surface torpedoes, anti-ship missiles, anti-submarine assault swimmers, etc.) to a rundown of each country's naval capabilities. One benefit of the authors' analysis is that the old naval concept of counting ships seems to be out the window. ""With modern techniques and weapons, a smaller navy with several high-performance ships and craft could well turn out the victor if engaged by a much larger fleet of elderly vessels."" For military buffs only.

Pub Date: March 21, 1987

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Adler & Adler--dist. by Harper & Row

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1987

Categories: NONFICTION