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Books > Social sciences > Warfare & defence > Weapons & equipment > General

The Politics of Weapons Inspections - Assessing WMD Monitoring and Verification Regimes (Paperback): Nathan E. Busch, Joseph F.... The Politics of Weapons Inspections - Assessing WMD Monitoring and Verification Regimes (Paperback)
Nathan E. Busch, Joseph F. Pilat
R846 Discovery Miles 8 460 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

Given recent controversies over suspected WMD programs in proliferating countries, there is an increasingly urgent need for effective monitoring and verification regimes-the international mechanisms, including on-site inspections, intended in part to clarify the status of WMD programs in suspected proliferators. Yet the strengths and limitations of these nonproliferation and arms control mechanisms remain unclear. How should these regimes best be implemented? What are the technological, political, and other limitations to these tools? What technologies and other innovations should be utilized to make these regimes most effective? How should recent developments, such as the 2015 Iran nuclear deal or Syria's declared renunciation and actual use of its chemical weapons, influence their architecture? The Politics of Weapons Inspections examines the successes, failures, and lessons that can be learned from WMD monitoring and verification regimes in order to help determine how best to maintain and strengthen these regimes in the future. In addition to examining these regimes' technological, political, and legal contexts, Nathan E. Busch and Joseph F. Pilat reevaluate the track record of monitoring and verification in the historical cases of South Africa, Libya, and Iraq; assess the prospects of using these mechanisms in verifying arms control and disarmament; and apply the lessons learned from these cases to contemporary controversies over suspected or confirmed programs in North Korea, Iran, and Syria. Finally, they provide a forward-looking set of policy recommendations for the future.

The PIAT - Britain's anti-tank weapon of World War II (Paperback): Matthew Moss The PIAT - Britain's anti-tank weapon of World War II (Paperback)
Matthew Moss; Illustrated by Alan Gilliland, Adam Hook
R351 Discovery Miles 3 510 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

Designed in 1942, Britain's innovative Projector, Infantry, Anti-Tank (PIAT) provided British and Commonwealth troops with a much-needed means of taking on Germany's formidable Panzers. Replacing the inadequate Boys anti-tank rifle, it was conceived in the top-secret World War II research and development organization known colloquially as 'Churchill's Toyshop', alongside other ingenious weapons such as the sticky bomb, the limpet mine and the time-pencil fuse. Unlike the more famous US bazooka, the PIAT had its roots in something simpler than rocket science. Operated from the shoulder, the PIAT was a spigot mortar which fired a heavy high-explosive bomb, with its main spring soaking up the recoil. The PIAT had a limited effective range. Troops required nerves of steel to get close enough to an enemy tank to ensure a direct hit, often approaching to within 50ft of the target, and no fewer than six Victoria Crosses were won during World War II by soldiers operating PIATs. A front-line weapon in every theatre of the conflict in which Commonwealth troops fought, from Europe to the Far East, the PIAT remained in service after 1945, seeing action during the Greek Civil War, the Arab-Israeli conflict and the Korean War. This illustrated study combines detailed research with expert analysis to reveal the full story of the design, development and deployment of this revolutionary weapon.

Missile Design and Systems Engineering (Hardcover, New): Eugene L. Fleeman Missile Design and Systems Engineering (Hardcover, New)
Eugene L. Fleeman
R2,968 R2,764 Discovery Miles 27 640 Save R204 (7%) Ships in 10 - 15 working days

In his latest book, ""Missile Design and Systems Engineering"", Eugene Fleeman presents a comprehensive review of the missile design and systems engineering process pulling from his decades of experience in the development of missiles and their technologies. Aimed toward the needs of aerospace engineering students and professors, systems analysts and engineers, program managers, and others working in the areas of missile systems and missile technology development, the book provides readers with an understanding of missile design, missile technologies, launch platform integration, missile system measures of merit and the missile system development process. This book has been adapted from Fleeman's earlier title, ""Tactical Missile Design, Second Edition"" to include a greater emphasis on systems engineering.Topics discussed include: top components in the missile design and system engineering process; critical tradeoffs, methods and technologies in aerodynamic, propulsion, structure, seeker, warhead, fuzing, and subsystems sizing to meet flight performance and other requirements; launch platform - missile integration; robustness, lethality, guidance, navigation & control, accuracy, observables, survivability, reliability, and cost considerations; missile sizing examples for missile systems and missile technologies; and, missile system and missile technology development process.

The Artillery of the Dukes of Burgundy, 1363-1477 (Hardcover): Robert Douglas Smith, Kelly DeVries The Artillery of the Dukes of Burgundy, 1363-1477 (Hardcover)
Robert Douglas Smith, Kelly DeVries
R2,161 Discovery Miles 21 610 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

The four Valois Dukes of Burgundy created, in little more than a century, a fabulously wealthy and independent state. Their centralised control and chancellery have bequeathed to us a vast treasure trove of documents, including accounts and inventories of the Masters of the artillery under the later Dukes. Although many of these were extracted and transcribed in the late nineteenth century, modern historians have largely ignored their unprecedented insights into fifteenth-century guns and their use. When Charles the Bold, the last Valois Duke, took on the combined Swiss confederate forces in 1476 he lost not just the battles and his personal fortune, but much of his artillerytrain as well. Of the dozens of cannons captured, at least 25 pieces survive in Swiss museums. The documents that survive from the Valois state give us, almost for the first time in medieval Europe, the ability to see the course of history in a period when Europe was undergoing some of the most profound changes before the 20th century. The Artillery of the Dukes of Burgundy is the first attempt to combine all these sources, bringing newand fresh insights into the development and use of artillery in the fifteenth century. Moreover this is the first modern study of medieval cannon, one of the most important discoveries of the post-classical world. KELLY DeVRIES has authored numerous books and articles on medieval warfare. ROBERT DOUGLAS SMITH formerly Head of Conservation in the Royal Armouries, Tower of London, is an acknowledged expert on medieval artillery. This study is thefirst major fruit of their combined researches.

The M4 Carbine (Paperback): Chris McNab The M4 Carbine (Paperback)
Chris McNab; Illustrated by Johnny Shumate, Alan Gilliland
R424 R345 Discovery Miles 3 450 Save R79 (19%) Ships in 9 - 15 working days

The M4 carbine has become one of the defining military firearms of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Developed as a fusion of the XM177E2 Colt Commando and the M16A2 assault rifle, the M4 offered a more convenient battlefield firearm than the full-length M16 variants, and the US Army adopted it as the standard infantry weapon in the 1990s. Today, military and law-enforcement personnel of more than 60 countries have adopted either the M4 or the M4A1 variant, both of which have been tested and proven in major combat operations worldwide. This study describes the development process in detail, from production of the first XM4 prototypes in 1984 through numerous modified types until it emerged into official use as the M4 in 1994. The M4 offered a weapon that was 1lb lighter and 6in shorter than the standard M16A2, yet could still deliver precision semi-auto and full-auto firepower up to an effective range of 500m. Over time, its capabilities have been enhanced by the M4A1 modifications plus an extensive range of tactical accessories, including optical day/night sights, laser/infrared designators, under-barrel grenade launchers and shotgun modules, foregrips, furniture options, mounting rails, and sound suppressors. Numerous M4/M4A1 combat operations are investigated to reveal why the weapon has received such high levels of approval by front-line combat troops, not only in Afghanistan and Iraq, where the M4/M4A1 has been intensively combat-tested, but also in contexts such as Colombia, India, Israel, and the Philippines. Profusely illustrated with photographs and artworks, and drawing its research from the latest declassified documents, this is a complete guide to one of the most important and widely distributed tactical infantry weapons of the last quarter-century.

Battlefield Forensics for Persian Gulf States - Regional and U.S. Military Weapons, Ammunition, and Headstamp Markings... Battlefield Forensics for Persian Gulf States - Regional and U.S. Military Weapons, Ammunition, and Headstamp Markings (Hardcover)
Don Mikko, William Bailey
R6,110 Discovery Miles 61 100 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

Battlefield Forensics for Persian Gulf States provides an illustrative reference of various weapons, toolmarks, headstamps, and other traits in order to identify the origins of a variety of guns, casings, and ammunition that can be found in the Middle East. Various conflicts in the region have led to innumerable weapons being used throughout the years. The lead author, Don Mikko, has investigated and examined firearms related items of evidence in countless crime scenes throughout the world. As the Chief of the Firearms Branch at the United States Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory (USACIL), Fort Gillem, Georgia, he recruited, trained, and competency tested military contractors deploying to various combat related areas of the world, those providing forensic firearm and toolmark identification support to local commanders. What was learned was that various foreign weapons and ammunition were being utilized in conflicts and by opposing forces. This book educates readers on the technical data for different types of firearms, ammunition, countries of origin, proof marks, penetrator information and the typical firearm markings imparted on fired cartridge cases, such as breech-face, firing pin, ejector, and extractor markings. Forensics and biometrics within the Persian Gulf have been leveraged since the early 1990s and many of the firearms and types of ammunition covered in this handbook are addressed in an effort to assist those on the ground who are required to be able to identify such items in various scenarios. The information contained within the book has proven to be effective on the battlefield and has helped shape combat operations. This handbook will serve as a useful reference not only to assist military and contractor personnel within the various combat locations but will also prove to be beneficial for law-enforcement, crime laboratory personnel, forensic firearm and toolmark examiners, crime scene investigators, students, practitioners, and civilian personnel throughout the world.

The M1 Garand (Paperback): Leroy Thompson The M1 Garand (Paperback)
Leroy Thompson; Illustrated by Peter Dennis, Alan Gilliland
R394 R374 Discovery Miles 3 740 Save R20 (5%) Ships in 12 - 17 working days

The M1 Garand gave the US infantryman a marked edge during World War II. It shot faster and further than enemy infantry rifles and hit harder. No less an authority on killing the enemy than General George S. Patton called the Garand, "The greatest battle implement ever devised." At a time when opposing forces were armed with bolt-action rifles, US troops had a highly reliable self-loader. The eight-round clips which were used to load the M1 Garand were, however, viewed with mixed emotions by the troops on the ground. Some Army and Marine Corps troops allegedly felt that the distinctive "twang" as the Garand's clip was ejected when empty alerted the enemy that the soldiers were reloading and resulted in an attack. But the Garand became the defining mankiller of the war, despite its weight and magazine problems, and many US combat veterans consider it one of the key reasons they survived the war.

Fighting Machines - Autonomous Weapons and Human Dignity (Hardcover): Dan Saxon Fighting Machines - Autonomous Weapons and Human Dignity (Hardcover)
Dan Saxon
R1,759 Discovery Miles 17 590 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

Lethal autonomous weapons are weapon systems that can select and destroy targets without intervention by a human operator. Fighting Machines explores the relationship between lethal autonomous weapons (LAWS), the concept of human dignity, and international law. Much of this analysis speaks to three fundamental and related problems: When a LAWS takes a human life, is that killing a violation of human dignity? Can states and non-state actors use LAWS in accordance with international law? And are there certain responsibilities of human decision-making during wartime that we should not delegate to machines? In the book, Dan Saxon argues that the use of LAWS to take human life constitutes a violation of human dignity. Rather than concentrating on the victims of the use of lethal force, Saxon instead focuses on the technology and relevant legal principles and rules to advance several propositions. First, as LAWS operate at increasingly greater speeds, their use will undermine the opportunities for, and the value of, human reasoning and judgment. Second, by transferring responsibility for reasoning and judgment about the use of lethal force to computer software, the use of LAWS violates the dignity of the soldiers, commanders, and law enforcement officers who historically have made such decisions, and, therefore, breaches international law. Third, weapon designs that facilitate teamwork between humans and autonomous systems are necessary to ensure that humans and LAWS can operate interdependently so that individuals can fulfil their obligations under international law—including the preservation of their own dignity—and ensure that human reasoning and judgment are available for cognitive functions better suited to humans than machines. Fighting Machines speaks to the fields of international humanitarian law, human rights, criminal law, and legal philosophy. It will also be of interest to non-lawyers, especially military officers, government policy makers, political scientists, and international relations scholars, as well as roboticists and ethicists.

Weapon of Choice - Small Arms and the Culture of Military Innovation (Hardcover): Matthew Ford Weapon of Choice - Small Arms and the Culture of Military Innovation (Hardcover)
Matthew Ford
R974 Discovery Miles 9 740 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

This book examines Western military technological innovation through the lens of developments in small arms during the twentieth century. These weapons have existed for centuries, appear to have matured only incrementally and might seem unlikely technologies for investigating the trajectory of military-technical change. Their relative simplicity, however, makes it easy to use them to map patterns of innovation within the military- industrial complex. Advanced technologies may have captured the military imagination, offering the possibility of clean and decisive outcomes, but it is the low technologies of the infantryman that can help us develop an appreciation for the dynamics of military-technical change. Tracing the path of innovation from battlefield to back office, and from industry to alliance partner, Ford develops insights into the way that small arms are socially constructed. He thereby exposes the mechanics of power across the military- industrial complex. This in turn reveals that shifting power relations between soldiers and scientists, bureaucrats and engineers, have allowed the private sector to exploit infantry status anxiety and shape soldier weapon preferences. Ford's analysis allows us to draw wider conclusions about how military innovation works and what social factors

Walther Pistols - PP, PPK and P 38 (Paperback): John Walter Walther Pistols - PP, PPK and P 38 (Paperback)
John Walter; Illustrated by Adam Hook, Alan Gilliland
R452 R366 Discovery Miles 3 660 Save R86 (19%) Ships in 9 - 15 working days

While the PP and PPK were intended for police work, the Walther P 38 was produced for the Germany military; all three pistols have garnered a formidable international reputation since the 1930s. The innovative Walther PP (Polizeipistole), a double-action semi-automatic pistol intended for the law-enforcement market, became available in 1929 and went on to arm the police of several European countries in the 1930s. Its smaller cousin the PPK, more readily concealed for undercover work but with reduced magazine capacity, was produced from 1931. Intended to replace the P 08 Luger, the Walther P 38 was issued from 1940 and equipped the armed forces of Germany and other countries during and after World War II, but never entirely replaced the Luger in German service. All three pistols went on to have lengthy and varied service across the world after 1945. Both the PP and the PPK remain in production today, while the P 38 re-emerged as the P1 and equipped West German forces from 1963 until 2004, when it was replaced by the P8. In this study, noted authority John Walter assesses the origins, development, use and legacy of these three high-profile semi-automatic pistols, alongside other Walther variants, such as the tiny .25 ACP Modell 9.

Living with Landmines - From International Treaty to Reality (Paperback): Bill Purves Living with Landmines - From International Treaty to Reality (Paperback)
Bill Purves; Photographs by Nic Dunlop; Bruce Cockburn
R377 Discovery Miles 3 770 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

Living With Landmines looks in detail at the de-mining work now underway in Cambodia and Mozambique through the eyes of those most concerned: farmers, de-miners, an amputee and a Canadian soldier seconded as a technical advisor. It raises the question as to whether or not there is a de-mining technology which will allow faster, more affordable de-mining under the control of the farmers themselves, and suggests that there is one indeed.

Sword, Lance and Bayonet - A Record of the Arms of the British Army and Navy (Paperback): Charles Ffoulkes, E C Hopkinson Sword, Lance and Bayonet - A Record of the Arms of the British Army and Navy (Paperback)
Charles Ffoulkes, E C Hopkinson
R1,088 Discovery Miles 10 880 Ships in 10 - 15 working days

Originally published in 1938, this book presents a historical study of the arms used by the British Army and Navy. The text concentrates for the most part on the swords used by different divisions, although sections are included on 'Belts, Slings, Knots', 'Lance, Bayonet and Staff Weapons' and 'Muskets, Rifles, and Carbines'. Numerous illustrative figures are also included, together with a list of works consulted. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in military history and the historical development of weapons.

The RAF Battle of Britain Fighter Pilots' Kitbag - The Ultimate Guide to the Uniforms, Arms and Equipment from the Summer... The RAF Battle of Britain Fighter Pilots' Kitbag - The Ultimate Guide to the Uniforms, Arms and Equipment from the Summer of 1940 (Paperback)
Mark Hillier 1
R518 R422 Discovery Miles 4 220 Save R96 (19%) Ships in 9 - 15 working days

The scenes are familiar ones; the young Brylcream Boys sat at dispersal waiting for the haunting call of Scramble , lounging in their shirt sleeves and fur-lined boots, their leather flying helmets lying limp by their side. But what did the RAF fighter pilots of the Battle of Britain really wear, and what vital items would their kitbags have held? The casual air of the dashing pilots of Fighter Command in the Spitfire Summer of 1940 conceals a necessarily professional approach to their task of holding Hitler s Luftwaffe at bay. Therefore, each item of clothing and equipment they wore and carried had a role and a function, be it for warmth and comfort, communication, or for fighting and survival. All the objects that an RAF fighter pilot was issued with during the Battle of Britain are explored in this book in high-definition colour photographs, showing everything from the differing uniforms, to headgear, personal weapons, gloves, goggles, parachute packs and the essential Mae West life jacket. Each item is fully described and its purpose and use explained. Relive Britain s finest hour as never before through the actually clothing and accoutrements of The Few .

Drones and Responsibility - Legal, Philosophical and Socio-Technical Perspectives on Remotely Controlled Weapons (Hardcover,... Drones and Responsibility - Legal, Philosophical and Socio-Technical Perspectives on Remotely Controlled Weapons (Hardcover, New Ed)
Ezio Di Nucci, Filippo Santoni de Sio
R4,357 Discovery Miles 43 570 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

How does the use of military drones affect the legal, political, and moral responsibility of different actors involved in their deployment and design? This volume offers a fresh contribution to the ethics of drone warfare by providing, for the first time, a systematic interdisciplinary discussion of different responsibility issues raised by military drones. The book discusses four main sets of questions: First, from a legal point of view, we analyse the ways in which the use of drones makes the attribution of criminal responsibility to individuals for war crimes more complicated and what adjustments may be required in international criminal law and in military practices to avoid 'responsibility gaps' in warfare. From a moral and political perspective, the volume looks at the conditions under which the use of military drones by states is impermissible, permissible, or even obligatory and what the responsibilities of a state in the use of drones towards both its citizens and potential targets are. From a socio-technical perspective, what kind of new human machine interaction might (and should) drones bring and which new kinds of shared agency and responsibility? Finally, we ask how the use of drones changes our conception of agency and responsibility. The book will be of interest to scholars and students in (military) ethics and to those in law, politics and the military involved in the design, deployment and evaluation of military drones.

The Good Drone (Paperback): Kristin Sandvik, Maria Jumbert The Good Drone (Paperback)
Kristin Sandvik, Maria Jumbert
R1,183 Discovery Miles 11 830 Ships in 9 - 15 working days

While the military use of drones has been the subject of much scrutiny, the use of drones for humanitarian purposes has so far received little attention. As the starting point for this study, it is argued that the prospect of using drones for humanitarian and other life-saving activities has produced an alternative discourse on drones, dedicated to developing and publicizing the endless possibilities that drones have for "doing good". Furthermore, it is suggested that the Good Drone narrative has been appropriated back into the drone warfare discourse, as a strategy to make war "more human". This book explores the role of the Good Drone as an organizing narrative for political projects, technology development and humanitarian action. Its contribution to the debate is to take stock of the multiple logics and rationales according to which drones are "good", with a primary objective to initiate a critical conversation about the political currency of "good". This study recognizes the many possibilities for the use of drones and takes these possibilities seriously by critically examining the difference the drones' functionalities can make, but also what difference the presence of drones themselves - as unmanned and flying objects - make. Discussed and analysed are the implications for the drone industry, user communities, and the areas of crisis where drones are deployed.

Viking Warrior Operations Manual - The life, equipment, weapons and fighting tactics of the Vikings (Hardcover): Angus Konstam Viking Warrior Operations Manual - The life, equipment, weapons and fighting tactics of the Vikings (Hardcover)
Angus Konstam 1
R719 R568 Discovery Miles 5 680 Save R151 (21%) Ships in 12 - 17 working days

In the summer of 793 AD Viking raiders attacked and looted the monastic island of Lindisfarne, off the coast of Northumberland. This assault was only the beginning, within 18 months huge areas of the British coast was being devastated by the terrifying shi

Tiger 1 Heavy Tank 1942-45 (Paperback): Tom Jentz Tiger 1 Heavy Tank 1942-45 (Paperback)
Tom Jentz; Illustrated by Peter Sarson; Hilary Doyle
R320 Discovery Miles 3 200 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

Probably the most famous tank of the World War II, the Tiger I was originally conceived in 1941 in response to the German Army's experience in fighting British tanks and anti-tank guns in Western Europe and the North African desert. Following the invasion of Russia, the appearance of the Soviet T-34 and KW tanks lent a further impetus to the programme. The Tiger's power and performance on the battlefield is emphasised by tables of relevant performance throughout the book, which clearly show the battlefield survivability of the Tiger and its superiority to many allied tank designs. This comprehensive and extremely detailed text is accompanied by a fine selection of black and white photographs showing the tank in use.

Bombs, IEDs, and Explosives - Identification, Investigation, and Disposal Techniques (Hardcover): Paul R. Laska Bombs, IEDs, and Explosives - Identification, Investigation, and Disposal Techniques (Hardcover)
Paul R. Laska
R4,072 Discovery Miles 40 720 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

A guide on procedures, administration, and equipment, Bombs, IEDs, and Explosives: Identification, Investigation, and Disposal Techniques introduces concepts, basic knowledge, and necessary skill sets for bomb technicians. It covers topics such as training resources, bomb threat and incident response, legal aspects of bomb disposal, explosives and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), bomb technology, bomb disposal equipment, and explosive evidence handling. The book outlines where bomb squads and technicians have historically been placed within the public safety system and suggests where they should ideally fit according to their function. It details specific standard operating procedures (SOPs) for various bomb threat and response scenarios, discusses protocols for requesting and supporting a bomb squad response, and addresses legal and forensic aspects of handling and associated recordkeeping. With the growing threat of chemical, biology, and radiological terrorism, the book recommends a stronger alliance of bomb disposal and hazardous materials response teams. Such alliances-in conjunction with increased interorganizational coordination between public safety divisions, such as police and fire departments-will lead to more effective responses to incidents and threats. The field of bomb disposal is constantly evolving. Bombers and bombmakers, especially those associated with terrorist organizations, study emergency responses to incidents to modify their devices for increased effectiveness. This book stresses the need for flexibility and creativity in response. Bombs, IEDs, and Explosives provides a ready reference on a wide variety of technical, administrative, and legal information that makes it indispensable to bomb disposal professionals and units.

Engineering Victory - How Technology Won the Civil War (Hardcover): Thomas F. Army Engineering Victory - How Technology Won the Civil War (Hardcover)
Thomas F. Army
R1,276 R1,194 Discovery Miles 11 940 Save R82 (6%) Ships in 12 - 17 working days

Engineering Victory brings a fresh approach to the question of why the North prevailed in the Civil War. Historian Thomas F. Army, Jr., identifies strength in engineering-not superior military strategy or industrial advantage-as the critical determining factor in the war's outcome. Army finds that Union soldiers were able to apply scientific ingenuity and innovation to complex problems in a way that Confederate soldiers simply could not match. Skilled Free State engineers who were trained during the antebellum period benefited from basic educational reforms, the spread of informal educational practices, and a culture that encouraged learning and innovation. During the war, their rapid construction and repair of roads, railways, and bridges allowed Northern troops to pass quickly through the forbidding terrain of the South as retreating and maneuvering Confederates struggled to cut supply lines and stop the Yankees from pressing any advantage. By presenting detailed case studies from both theaters of the war, Army clearly demonstrates how the soldiers' education, training, and talents spelled the difference between success and failure, victory and defeat. He also reveals massive logistical operations as critical in determining the war's outcome.

Terrorism and WMDs - Awareness and Response, Second Edition (Paperback, 2nd edition): John Pichtel Terrorism and WMDs - Awareness and Response, Second Edition (Paperback, 2nd edition)
John Pichtel
R1,854 Discovery Miles 18 540 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

Terrorism and WMD's, Second Edition provides a comprehensive, up-to-date survey of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). Terrorist weapons and delivery methods are becoming increasingly sophisticated; as such, this book focuses on the chemistry and biology of WMDs, the development and history of their use, and human health effects of such weapons. Coverage of new threats, additional case studies, and the emergence of ISIL-and other terrorist actors-have been added to the new edition which will serve as an invaluable resources to students and professionals studying and working in the fields of terrorism, Homeland Security, and emergency response.

Weapons of the Samurai (Paperback): Stephen Turnbull Weapons of the Samurai (Paperback)
Stephen Turnbull; Illustrated by Johnny Shumate, Alan Gilliland
R423 R343 Discovery Miles 3 430 Save R80 (19%) Ships in 9 - 15 working days

This fully illustrated new book describes and analyses the weapons and equipment traditionally associated with the samurai, Japan's superlative warriors. It examines the range of weapons used by them at different times and in different situations. Beginning with the rise of the samurai during the 10th century, this lively study traces the introduction of edged weapons (cutting and piercing) and missile weapons (bows and guns) over the next 500 years. The book shows clearly how they were employed by individual samurai using many previously untranslated primary texts, and explains how their use spread more widely among low-class troops, pirates and rebels. It also shows how schools of martial arts took over and changed the weapons and their uses during the peaceful Edo Period (1615-1868).

The Webley Service Revolver (Paperback): Robert Maze The Webley Service Revolver (Paperback)
Robert Maze; Illustrated by Peter Dennis 2
R451 R366 Discovery Miles 3 660 Save R85 (19%) Ships in 9 - 15 working days

The Webley .455in service revolver is among the most powerful top-break revolvers ever produced and has a claim to be the first 'tactical fighting pistol'. First adopted in 1887, in various marques it was the standard-issue service pistol for British and Commonwealth armed forces for nearly fifty years; later versions in .38in calibre went on to see further service in World War II and beyond, as well as in a host of law-enforcement roles around the world into the 1970s.
Developed to give British service personnel the ability to incapacitate their opponents in 'small wars' around the globe, the Webley used the formidable - and controversial - .455in cartridge, a variant of which was known as the 'manstopper'. Users found it offered good penetration and excellent stopping power with only mild recoil - indeed, it was rated superior to the US .45 Colt in stopping power.
Featuring specially commissioned full-colour artwork and close-up photographs, this is the compelling story of the Webley revolver, the powerful pistol that saw service across the British Empire and throughout two world wars.

Armed Drones and the Ethics of War - Military virtue in a post-heroic age (Hardcover, New): Christian Enemark Armed Drones and the Ethics of War - Military virtue in a post-heroic age (Hardcover, New)
Christian Enemark
R4,347 Discovery Miles 43 470 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

This book assesses the ethical implications of using armed unmanned aerial vehicles ('hunter-killer drones') in contemporary conflicts. The American way of war is trending away from the heroic and towards the post-heroic, driven by a political preference for air-powered management of strategic risks and the reduction of physical risk to US personnel. The recent use of drones in the War on Terror has demonstrated the power of this technology to transcend time and space, but there has been relatively little debate in the United States and elsewhere over the embrace of what might be regarded as politically desirable and yet morally worrisome: risk-free killing. Arguably, the absence of a relationship of mutual risk between putative combatants poses a fundamental challenge to the status of war as something morally distinguishable from other forms of violence, and it also undermines the professional virtue of the warrior as a courageous risk-taker. This book considers the use of armed drones in the light of ethical principles that are intended to guard against unjust increases in the incidence and lethality of armed conflict. The evidence and arguments presented indicate that, in some respects, the use of armed drones is to be welcomed as an ethically superior mode of warfare. Over time, however, their continued and increased use is likely to generate more challenges than solutions, and perhaps do more harm than good. This book will be of much interest to students of the ethics of war, airpower, counter-terrorism, strategic studies and security studies in general.

The Sword in Anglo-Saxon England - Its Archaeology and Literature (Paperback, New edition): Hilda R. Ellis Davidson The Sword in Anglo-Saxon England - Its Archaeology and Literature (Paperback, New edition)
Hilda R. Ellis Davidson
R591 Discovery Miles 5 910 Ships in 12 - 17 working days

The Sword is closely associated with all that was most significant in a man's life in the Anglo-Saxon world: family ties, loyalty to a lord, the duties of a king, the excitement of battle, the attainment of manhood, and the last funeral rites. Hilda Ellis Davidson explores the revelations of archaeology, methods of sword-making, and references in Anglo-Saxon poetry and Old Norse sagas to reveal a past where the sword was of supreme importance, as a weapon and as a symbol. She restores a vital dimension to Old English literature, and endows those few surviving swords in museums with a real glamour and magic. She shows that for a fuller understanding of Anglo-Saxon poetry it is important to have due regard to the warrior culture from which it sprang, and of the potent part played by the sword within that culture. Much can be learnt from surviving swords and from the context in which they are discovered. Careful study of the disposition of swords found in peat bogs in Denmark, and in graves, lakes and rivers in the British Isles, yields information on religious and social practices. The swords themselves, and their decoration, reveal the technical skill and cultural achievements of the people who wielded them. To read Beowolf is to be immediately aware of the aura of magical power the poet vested in the sword, and Hilda Ellis Davidson's other concern in this book is to look at literary sources for what they reveal of the quality of a good sword and its significance in Anglo-Saxon and Viking societies - for Viking raiders played as important a part as Anglo-Saxon colonists in the history of early medieval Britain. A survey of the sword in Anglo-Saxon historical records and poetry isfollowed by an exploration of descriptions of the sword, and of the parts of the sword, in Old Norse literature. The real world of the Anglo-Saxons is brought into dramatic close-focus through this thorough study of the physical remains and literary memorials of a highly-charged symbol.

The Mosin-Nagant Rifle (Paperback): Bill Harriman The Mosin-Nagant Rifle (Paperback)
Bill Harriman; Illustrated by Johnny Shumate, Alan Gilliland
R481 R390 Discovery Miles 3 900 Save R91 (19%) Ships in 9 - 15 working days

The Mosin-Nagant is the world's longest-surviving and most widely distributed military rifle, having armed the forces of Russia and many other countries for more than five decades. It has seen action from World War I to the present day, but is most famous for its role during World War II when it proved to be an excellent sniping weapon in the hands of marksmen such as Vasily Zaitsev and Simo Hayha. This study covers the rifle's entire combat history, from its early development through to its service in combat and the impact it has had on modern firearms. Dramatic battle reports and specially commissioned artwork complement the meticulously researched examination of the Mosin-Nagant provided by author Bill Harriman as he delves into the history of one of the most iconic rifles of World War II.

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War Office Paperback R237 R210 Discovery Miles 2 100
Revolver - Sam Colt and the Six-Shooter…
Jim Rasenberger Paperback R535 R447 Discovery Miles 4 470
Native American Weapons
Colin F. Taylor Paperback R879 Discovery Miles 8 790
Horse Mobilization
War Office Paperback R237 R210 Discovery Miles 2 100
The Guns of John Moses Browning - The…
Nathan Gorenstein Paperback R503 R419 Discovery Miles 4 190
Fighting Techniques of the Elite Forces…
Leroy Thompson Paperback R432 R355 Discovery Miles 3 550
The Dirty Tricks Department - The Untold…
John Lisle Hardcover R570 Discovery Miles 5 700
How the War Was Won - Command and…
T.H.E. Travers Hardcover R3,777 Discovery Miles 37 770
Catechism of Animal Management, Etc.
War Office Paperback R252 Discovery Miles 2 520

 

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