The changing face of the world's navies

World War Two marked a turning-point in naval historical development. Since then, politics, the emergence of the 'bi-polar' world, and incredibly rapid technological change have combined with newly evolved or refined strategies to produce a wholly new naval situation as we enter the twenty-first century. The past fifty years have witnessed some remarkable changes in the naval world: big-gun warships have been discarded and then have come back into favour; and amphibious capabilities have grown in importance. But the most important single factor has been technology - missile development, electronics, communications, computers, metallurgy - all these things have had far-reaching effects. Sea power remains as vital to trading nations as it ever was. With two-thirds of the Earth's surface covered by water, the need has remained for a naval capacity both to defend oneself and maintain trade routes, as well as sustain prolonged overseas action. What has altered is the form that such a navy should take. This book traces these developments, in their evolutionary and revolutionary forms, with reference to all the nations that have contributed significantly to it. The author contributed sign