Formerly known as the 'Switzerland of the Middle East', an island of economic stability and social progress, Lebanon was shattered by a civil war that raged from 1975 until 1990. Pitting the central government against different factions and alliances of Christians, Sunni and Shi'a Moslems, leftists, and Syrian armed forces, this multifaceted conflict experienced a major escalation when Israel launched an invasion with the aim of destroying the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), in 1982. Also known as the First Lebanon War, or Operation Peace for Galilee, the Israeli enterprise was run in cooperation with Christian allies and the self-proclaimed Free Lebanon State. Except for attacking the PLO and surrounding its leadership in West Beirut, it provoked a major showdown with Syrian armed forces deployed inside Lebanon, and resulted in a series of bitter battles. Ever since, fighting on the ground and in the sky of the Beka'a Valley is a synonym for modern-day conventional air-land battle in the age of high-technology warfare. Focusing on military-related developments, and rich in exclusive details and illustrations, 'Lebanese Civil War: Israeli Invasion, 1982' is dissecting military forces, their equipment, intention and capabilities, and their combat operations.

This book is the first dedicated exclusively to Northrop Grumman's E-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System-JSTARS-America's current-day ground surveillance, battle management, and command and control aircraft. The E-8's complete history, from the early origins of the JSTARS concept to the latest available information on current use, is presented. The book also traces the evolutionary path followed by the aircraft (developed from the Boeing 707), from the various studies that resulted in the definitive version of the aircraft, to its various models since its first use in 1991. Technical aspects on the E-8's mission equipment are covered in detail, and operational features such as the actual requirements involved in real missions are also described, all based on official documentation. The book also examines the role played by the JSTARS in all combat operations it took part in throughout its career, from Desert Storm to the present, and discusses the concept into the future.

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. Nimitzs 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. Nimitzs military campaignsincluding the Gulf of Sidra Incident, Operation Desert Shield/Storm, and Operations Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedomare also covered in detail, including their results. The book concludes with its latest operational deployment, Operation Inherent Resolve, and the ships current status. Part of the Legends of Warfare series.