Aerial Warfare, Frank Ledwidge
Aerial Warfare, Frank Ledwidge
2 Rating(s)
List: $15.99 | Sale: $11.20
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Aerial Warfare
The Battle for the Skies

Author: Frank Ledwidge

Narrator: Jonathan Yen

Unabridged: 5 hr 42 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 09/04/2018


Synopsis

Aerial warfare has dominated western war-making for over 100 years, and despite regular announcements of its demise, it shows no sign of becoming obsolete. Frank Ledwidge offers a sweeping look at the history of air warfare, introducing the major battles, crises, and controversies where air power has taken center stage, and the changes in technology and air power capabilities over time. Highlighting the role played by air power in the First and Second World Wars, he also sheds light on the lesser-known theaters where the roles of air forces have been clearly decisive in conflicts, in Africa, South America, and Asia.

Along the way, Ledwidge asks key questions about the roles air power can deliver, and whether it is conceptually different from other forms of combat. Considering whether bombing has ever been truly effective, he discusses whether wars can be won from the air, and concludes by analyzing whether there is a future for manned air power, or if it is inevitable that drones will dominate twenty-first-century war in the air.

About Frank Ledwidge

Frank Ledwidge is at the Royal Air Force College. He is one of few British officials to have served in all of the country's recent wars, and has also worked for the U.K. government in Helmand and Libya during the conflicts there. In his civilian life, he has worked as a human rights lawyer throughout the Balkans, the former Soviet Union, and Africa. Dr. Ledwidge is the author of two acclaimed and bestselling books on British military performance in the 9/11 wars: Losing Small Wars and Investment in Blood.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Chris on August 27, 2020

This book is an excellent history of thought of the concept and practice of aerial warfare, from its inception during the early-20th century and the first world war, to very briefly, our modern time at the start of the drone-era and automatic aerial combat. The book does a good job of not dumbing d......more

Goodreads review by Zachary on January 25, 2025

This is a whistle-stop introduction to Aerial Warfare theory and practice from their inception to the early 21st Century. H.G. Wells wrote about the terrifying military potential of flying machine in his 1909 book “War of the Skies”, a mere 6 years after the Wright Brothers made the first powered win......more

Goodreads review by Andrik on August 31, 2019

A short but ample read into a field that most are unable to experience firsthand. Frank Ledwidge a military intelligence officer who served in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya offers an overview of air combat through the years while tackling the basic principles of aerial warfare and aircraft. Aerial War......more

Goodreads review by Zachariah on December 20, 2024

Fun read!......more

Goodreads review by Henry on January 29, 2019

A good short introduction to the evolution and dominant theories about Aerial warfare. Wouldn’t recommend to anyone well versed in this field, but if you’ve got a casual interest it’s not a bad starting point.......more