The Cruise Missile

The penchant of the American military to be on the leading edge of technology could destroy our perspective of new weapon systems and distort our perceptions of their most effective use in modern warfare. So it is with cruise missiles, one of technology's newest and most sophisticated developments. Dr. Werrell's book provides the perspective and insight we would otherwise lack.

The cruise missile is the principal innovation in U.S. weaponry in the early 1980s. Because it is inexpensive and versatile, it is likely to be used for a wide range of military missions. At the same time, it has become a delicate issue in arms control and alliance politics. Although cruise missile programs are among the most dynamic elements in the U.S. defense buildup, their consequences have not been fully appreciated. This book assesses the complex set of technological, budgetary, strategic, diplomatic, and political implications of this new weapon as a contribution to public understanding of its pervasive influence on diplomacy and military affairs. Cruise missile technology and development programs are dealt with in chapters by John C. Toomay; Godron MacDonald, Jack Ruina, and Mark Balaschak; Ron Huisken; and John C. Baker. Military uses and arm control implications are discussed by Bruce Bennett and James Foster; Roger H. Palin; Richard Burt; Michael MccGwire; George H. Quester; and William H. Kinkade. Diplomatic and national political questions are analyzed by Raymond L. Garthoff; Robert J. Art and Stephen E. Ockenden; Gregory F. Treverton; Lawrence D. Freedman; and Catherine McArdle Kelleher.

Lederen af det amerikanske Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis (IFPA) og en forsker ved samme institut analyserer de mulige anvendelser af amerikanske cruise-missiler og disses indflydelse på styrkeforholdet til USSR.

The Canadian government's 1983 decision to allow U.S. cruise missile testing in this country resulted in intense political fallout. The controversial program was kept quiet for as long as possible, but when key secrets were leaked, the powers that be faced harsh criticism from activists, opposition parties, Washington, and the Canadian public. Using recently declassified documents from the highest levels of government, political insider John Clearwater asserts that both Trudeau and Mulroney viewed the cruise missile program as essential to maintaining good relations with the United States. In this highly charged, uncompromising analysis, Clearwater contends that cabinet made important decisions based on relatively little information and took major steps to maintain the secrecy surrounding the testing in an attempt to prevent the public from mounting an effective opposition. Just Dummies is a finely crafted and unflinching examination of the politics and history of cruise missile testing in Canada. Clearwater's insider expertise, backed up with military and political documents from both Canada and the United States, provides readers with a unique perspective on this highly contentious issue.

Political Science/International Relations/Arms Control

The penchant of the American military to be on the leading edge of technology could destroy our perspective of new weapon systems and distort our perceptions of their most effective use in modern warfare. So it is with cruise missiles, one of technologys newest and most sophisticated developments. Dr. Werrells book provides the perspective and insight we would otherwise lack."Although cruise missiles are among the newest and most sophisticated weapons fielded by the United States, they possess a rich conceptual and technological heritage. It is important that we understand this heritage as we consider deployment and employment options. It is also important that we understand the developmental process illustrated by the history of the cruise missile. Without the perspective provided by this history, our perceptions of their purpose and use lack depth and insight."Donald D. StevensColonel, United States Air ForceCommander, Center for Aerospace Doctrine, Research, and Education

Dr. Huisken, nu ansat som forsvarsanalytiker for den australske regering, har tidligere arbejdet ved SIPRI og ved det australske Strategic and Defense Studies Centre. Bogen behandler to strategiske krydsermissiler, der affyres fra henholdsvis ubåde og bombefly, specielt disses udviklingshistorie.