Sérgio Santana – författare

The nuclear-powered supercarrier USS Nimitz is the oldest carrier in the US fleet. Commissioned in 1975, CVN-68 is named after famed navy admiral Chester Nimitz and has been at the front line of many naval operations in its 40-plus years of service. Nimitz’s design and development, construction, sea trials, commissioning, and first cruise are presented in concise, detailed text. Also covered are all of the ship's systems, including electronics, defensive/offensive armament, command and control, and aircraft launching and recovery. Nimitz’s military campaigns—including the Gulf of Sidra Incident, Operation Desert Shield/Storm, and Operations Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom—are also covered in detail, including their results. The book concludes with its latest operational deployment, Operation Inherent Resolve, and the ship’s current status. Part of the Legends of Warfare series.

During the Cold War, the Soviet Union's Air Defence Forces (PVO) were responsible for defending Soviet airspace. Comprising three specialized branches—radio-technical troops, surface-to-air missile troops, and fighter aviation (IA-PVO)—its primary role was to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft, from bombers to reconnaissance planes. The IA-PVO operated separately from the Soviet Air Force, and its pilots were considered elite, chosen for their exceptional flying skills and granted higher salaries due to the immense responsibility they carried, particularly in the event of a NATO airstrike.One notable figure in the IA-PVO was Major Oleg Petrovich Vydrenok. A graduate of the Stavropol Higher Military Aviation School in 1976, he was one of only 20 air lieutenants out of 200 to be declared ‘Military Pilot Third Class.’ Over his 14-year career, Vydrenok flew various aircraft, including the Tupolev Tu-128 Fiddler and Mikoyan MiG-31 Foxhound, gaining extensive experience in Cold War missions.In Soviet Cold War Pilot, Vydrenok's training and operational experiences offer a detailed comparison with Western air forces and insight into the techniques developed to counter NATO aircraft like the SR-71 Blackbird and B-52 Stratofortress, showcasing his critical role in the Soviet air defence system.