Secret Warriors - British Submarines in the Cold War - PRE ORDER

A highly illustrated history of the Cold War operations of the submarines of the Royal Navy from 1948 to 1990. Following the end of World War II, divisions emerged between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union and its satellite communist states which set the scene for the postwar confrontation known as the Cold War. This lasted over 40 years, during which time the threat of nuclear weapons held back both sides from major war. In 1945 the Soviet Union had embarked on a plan to transform its navy, and there were believed to be about 450 modern Soviet submarines in service by 1957. For Western navies, anti- submarine warfare became a priority and the submarines of the Royal Navy were deeply involved in this struggle. They engaged in frequent hazardous surveillance patrols investigating Soviet submarines and surface warships and their operational tactics, and trailing Soviet strategic submarines (SSBNs). At the same time the Royal Navy conducted British deterrent SSBN patrols and protected these using attack submarines (SSNs). There were also hazardous patrols which trialled submarine operation under the Arctic ice-cap and covert patrols in other theatres of Soviet operations. Naval history expert Dr Paul Brown presents the extent and nature of the Royal Navy’s submarine operations during the Cold War in this fully illustrated volume, containing stunning photographs, technical drawings and maps. Using interviews with Cold War era submarine commanders and engineers, as well as Freedom of Information requests, archival material and many secondary sources, Secret Warriors brings to light new information published here for the first time.