Strategic Air Command (SAC) was the pre-eminent military actor in US nuclear policy from the start to the end of the Cold War. Illustrated with over 170 photographs, this book provides an examination of SAC, covering its aircraft, operations, people and locations. It will look at the introduction of new aircraft and early ballistic missiles with Curtis LeMay as Commander of SAC up to Cuban missile crisis. Post Cuba, the B-52 and KC-135 dominated force and second generation missiles will be covered. Then, the late 1960s/early1970s will see the pressures of the bomber force involvement in Vietnam, and the introduction of the FB-111A. Finally, comes the introduction of the B-1 and how, in 1980s, SAC readiness reached a peak. Interweaved through that account will be material covering new equipment, the importance of SAC strategic reconnaissance aircraft (the RB-29, RB-45, RB-50, U-2/TR-1, SR-71, B-47 and RC-135), SAC readiness programmes (ORI), and its command and control mechanisms - especially EC-135s and E-4s and PACCS. AUTHOR: Kevin Wright is a regular contributor to aviation magazines (including 'Aviation News' and 'Aeroplane') and is an accomplished air-to-air photographer. He has a lifelong special interest in Cold War intelligence collection and produced numerous articles on related topics. Other recent publications include co-authoring a book, with Peter Jefferies, on allied intelligence collection along the Berlin Corridors. He taught international security and politics for over 15 years at universities in the UK and overseas. His PhD was on the role of expert communities in arms control policy making which became the topic of his first book. He currently lives in the Republic of IE - Ireland.
