| Description |
1 online resource (xiii, 409 pages) : illustrations. |
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text txt rdacontent |
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computer c rdamedia |
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online resource cr rdacarrier |
| Series |
General histories. |
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General histories.
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| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| Contents |
Pilotless aircraft -- Ballistic missiles research -- The contest for control -- A radical reorganization -- A family of missiles -- The poor man's approach -- The operational force. |
| Access |
Use copy Restrictions unspecified star MiAaHDL |
| Summary |
Following World War II, the onset of nuclear weapons, long-range jet bombers, and ballistic missiles radically changed American foreign policy and military strategy. The U.S. Air Force, led by men of far-sighted vision and uncommon dedication, accepted the challenge of organizing and leading a massive research and development effort to build ballistic missiles. In the quarter of a century since, these weapons have constituted one of the three legs of the strategic triad -- the basis of America's strategy of deterring nuclear war -- yet they have received less attention from the public and within the Air Force than the more glamorous manned bombers of the Strategic Air Command or the missile-launching submarines of the U.S. Navy. This volume attempts to correct the imbalance by telling the story of the development of Air Force ballistic missiles. It concentrates on the first generation of ballistic missiles: the intercontinental Atlas and Titan, and the intermediate-range Thor. Although the effort to develop rockets has a longer history than commonly assumed, the modern history spans the relatively short era from 1945 to 1960. During this brief interval, missiles advanced from drawing board to alert status, where the next generation now remains poised to deter war. The author describes the difficulties involved in the technological competition with the Soviets to be first to develop and deploy a ballistic missile force. With innovative leadership, the Air Force succeeded also in overcoming conflict with the Army and Navy, budgetary constraints, administrative complications, and, of course, formidable engineering problems. |
| Reproduction |
Electronic reproduction. [S.l.] : HathiTrust Digital Library, 2011. MiAaHDL |
| System Details |
Master and use copy. Digital master created according to Benchmark for Faithful Digital Reproductions of Monographs and Serials, Version 1. Digital Library Federation, December 2002. http://purl.oclc.org/DLF/benchrepro0212 MiAaHDL |
| Processing Action |
digitized 2011 HathiTrust Digital Library committed to preserve pda MiAaHDL |
| Note |
Description based on online resource; title from PDF cover (Defense.gov website, viewed September 23, 2019). |
| Subject |
United States. Air Force -- Weapons systems -- History.
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Ballistic missiles -- United States -- History.
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Atlas (Missile) -- History.
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Thor (Missile) -- History.
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Titan (Missile) -- History.
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United States. Air Force. (OCoLC)fst00538280
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Atlas (Missile) (OCoLC)fst00820242
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Ballistic missiles. (OCoLC)fst00826097
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Thor (Missile) (OCoLC)fst01150196
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Titan (Missile) (OCoLC)fst01151517
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Armed Forces -- Weapons systems.
(OCoLC)fst01351920
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United States. (OCoLC)fst01204155
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Luftwaffe (DE-588)4125963-4
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Rakete (DE-588)4124022-4
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Geschichte (1945-1960)
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USA.
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| Genre/Form |
History. (OCoLC)fst01411628
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| Added Author |
United States. Air Force. Office of Air Force History, issuing body.
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| Added Title |
Ballistic missiles in the United States Air Force, 1945-1960 |
| ISBN |
0912799625 |
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9780912799629 |
| Gpo Item No. |
0422-M (online) |
| Sudoc No. |
D 301.82/3:B 21 |
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