Books in the Weapons and Warfare series

The development of the pistol helped bring the age of the armored knight to an end, provided the elite with a status symbol of dangerous glamour, and inspired both artisans and industrialists to reach new heights of invention.

An in-depth history of the time when airpower became the great equalizer, changing military strategy forever and bringing once-safe targets in reach.

This fascinating reference covers the weapons and armor used by warriors from the 4th to the 15th century and discusses how and why they changed over time.

First envisioned by Leonardo da Vinci and first deployed in World War II, the helicopter is now a universal icon of modern warfare, a key component of combat planning around the world, and one of the military's most versatile and effective tools.

Addressing its technical evolution as well as its military and social impact, this comprehensive reference shows how historic leaders such as Dionysus of Syracuse, the Ottoman sultan Mohammad II, Oliver Cromwell, and Napoleon Bonaparte were successful in battle because of their innovative use of artillery.

This vivid volume describes the fascinating history of aircraft carriers, first deployed successfully in World War I by the Imperial Russian Navy, and indispensable to the Allied victory in World War II, now the strategic centerpiece of the world's most powerful navies.

Readers will also encounter many instances where decisionmakers chose to issue rifles ill-suited for the task at hand when better options were available. Author David Westwood has handled every weapon he describes, from muskets to breechloaders, from repeaters and bolt-action rifles to semiautomatics and self-loaders.

An expert examination of the evolution of military aviation and its profound impact on warfare-from the employment of balloons during the French Revolutionary wars to the use of aircraft in World War I.

From the steam-powered models introduced in World War I to today's nuclear-powered, multiweaponed technological wonders, submarines have revolutionized warfare on the world's seas. This volume follows the extraordinary development of this key component of the world's navies.

On July 4, 1991, the Arleigh Burke class of destroyers, the most powerful surface combatants in naval history, was commissioned. It was the culmination of a century-and-a-half evolution of the destroyer-an evolution captured in this vivid and timely history of the world's most popular warship.