Tom Clancy - Fighter Wing: A Guided Tour of an Air Force Combat Wing (Tom Clancys Military Reference)

Table of Contents

Muscular, full-blooded nonfiction... a compelling read.

Into the wild blue yonder with Clancy as a knowledgeable, even solicitous, escort... Complete with a wealth of line drawings, maps, and photos, verbatim interviews with top Air Force officers, and cogent explanations of high-tech hardware and latter-day doctrine, a most attractive package for armchair air marshals or taxpayers interested in what sort of bangs theyre getting for their aviation bucks.Kirkus Reviews

From jet engines to stealth fighters and smart bombs, there is not much that Tom Clancy doesnt know about U.S. fighter aircraft.

NOVELS BY TOM CLANCY

NONFICTION

Into the Storm: A Study in Command
(written with General Fred Franks, Jr., Ret., and Tony Koltz)
Every Man a Tiger
(written with General Charles Horner, Ret., and Tony Koltz)
Shadow Warriors: Inside the Special Forces
(written with General Carl Stiner, Ret., and Tony Koltz)
Battle Ready
(written with General Tony Zinni, Ret., and Tony Koltz)

CREATED BY TOM CLANCY

CREATED BY TOM CLANCY AND STEVE PIECZENIK

CREATED BY TOM CLANCY AND MARTIN GREENBERG
Tom Clancys Power Plays: Politika
Tom Clancys Power Plays: ruthless.com
Tom Clancys Power Plays: Shadow Watch
Tom Clancys Power Plays: Bio-Strike
Tom Clancys Power Plays: Cold War
Tom Clancys Power Plays: Cutting Edge
Tom Clancys Power Plays: Zero Hour
Tom Clancys Power Plays: Wild Card

MAJOR MORTON R. GRAVES III, USAF
(34th Bombardment Squadron)

CAPTAIN JON A. RUPP, USAF
(34th Bombardment Squadron)

CAPTAIN KATHLEEN J. HALE, USAF
(366th Medical Group)

STAFF SERGEANT DON ANTIKAINEN
(389th Fighter Squadron)

THANKS to all the people who made this book special. Once again, we start with my partner and researcher, John D. Gresham. His work on this book took him across the country many times, where he had some very interesting experiences. Whether he is talking over the finer points of precision-guided weapons with contractors or having the ride of his life in the back of a fighter, he always brings a special touch to the books of this series. We also have again benefited from the wisdom and efforts of series editor Professor Martin H. Greenberg. Once again, Laura Alpher is to be complimented for her marvelous drawings, which have been such a pleasure to see, and have added so much to these books. Thanks are also due to Craig Kaston, whose photographs appear here for the first time. Tony Koltz, Mike Markowitz, and Chris Carlson again need to be recognized for their outstanding research and editorial supportso critical and timely. Thanks again goes to Cindi Woodrum, Diana Patin, and Roselind Greenberg for their support in backing the rest of us up as we moved toward completion.

A book like this would be impossible to produce without the support of senior service personnel in leadership positions, and this one is no exception. Our first thanks go to Dr. Richard Hallion, the Chief Historian of the Air Force and a longtime friend. He was there at the start with solid advice on the structure of the book, and advice on how to make it all happen. We also have our greatest thanks for two senior USAF officers, General John M. Loh and General Charles A. Horner. Both of these officers, in the sunset of their careers, gave us valuable time and support, and we cannot repay their trust and friendship. Thanks also to Colonel John Warden at the Air Command and Staff College for sharing his special insights with us. Out at Nellis AFB, NV, there was Lieutenant General Tom Griffith, who runs the worlds finest air warfare training center. Also at Nellis were Brigadier General Jack Welde, commander of the 57th Wing; Colonel John Frisby of the Adversary Tactics Division; Colonel Bud Bennett, who commands the 554th Range Control Squadron; and Colonel Bentley Rayburn of the USAF Weapons School, who gave us run of their facilities and personnel during our visit. Other notable help at Nellis AFB came from Lieutenant Colonel Steve Anderson, who commands the USAF Thunderbirds; Lieutenant Colonel Steve Ladd, who runs the 549th Joint Training Squadron known as AIR WARRIOR; Major Steve Cutshell in the Nellis Adversary Tactics Shop; and Lieutenant Colonel Ed LaFontaine, who has built the USAF Combat Search and Rescue School. The legendary Blake Morrison and Marty Isham, the team behind USAF Weapons Review, were instrumental in getting the details right. Finally, there were two wonderful young USAF officers: Major Gregory Masters and Captain Rob Evans, who were kind enough to share their personal Gulf War experiences with us.