Air warfare in the Cold War (238)

Cold War Conversations

The Cold War years were a period of unprecedented peace in Europe, yet they also saw a number of localised but nonetheless very intense wars throughout the wider world in which air power played a vital role.

I speak with former Cold War Tornado pilot and acclaimed aviation historian Michael Napier who has written Flashpoints: Air Warfare in the Cold War published by Osprey which describes eight of these Cold War conflicts.

We discuss the wide range of aircraft types used and the development of tactics over a period of revolution in aviation technology and design which saw some of the most modern technology that the NATO and Warsaw Pact forces deployed.

UK listeners buy the book here

US listeners buy the book here

0:00 Introduction

2:08 Introduction of guest Michael Napier and discussion on the importance of personalizing conflicts

7:18 Deep dive into the Suez and Congo conflicts

14:54 Role of the UN's air force in conflicts and the impact of combat aircraft

24:08 Introduction to the Indo-Pakistan wars and the Arab-Israeli wars

34:22 The toll of war on pilots and the international nature of conflicts

35:59 Overview of the Iran-Iraq War

40:53 The Falklands War: Initial reactions, strategies, and impact

50:34 Closing remarks, acknowledgments, and store promotion

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