In a world that seems to be going digital at an enormous rate,
we are still able to rely on published editions of military-reference
texts that remain pillars of the print community, both as definitive,
informative works and as bound examples of the art of the book.
One of these is the U.S. Naval Institute’s “Guide to
Combat Fleets of the World, 2000-2001: Their Ships, Aircraft, and
Systems,” by A.D. Baker III. It contains 1,100 pages of photographs
(all black and white), drawings, text and indices that include data
concerning the “afloat, coastal defense, and aviation arms
of more than 190 countries”.
There is a complete section of terms and abbreviations, acronyms,
and conversion tables (for the metric-impaired). Ninety percent
of the images are new to this edition. Detailed and updated information
includes the characteristics and capabilities of all classes of
ships, from giant aircraft carriers, to deadly ballistic-missile
submarines, to the smallest launches and workaday tugboats (YTB’s
or “yippies”).
Added to this are detailed descriptions of all of the operational
naval aircraft, weapons systems and sensors, as well as data on
organizations, personnel strengths and bases of the world’s
naval forces. Certainly, this volume covers more classes and configurations
than any other single publication.
What is it missing? Absent are advertisements, which detract from
any reference book. Good riddance! Dollar-for-dollar, the millennium
issue contains all of the information on the world’s naval
forces at a price that makes it a “must-acquire” item
for the serious student of maritime warfare.
Members of the institute pay a reduced price of $122.50 per copy.
For non-members, the price is $175. These are the people who published
“The Hunt for Red October” and gave author Tom Clancy
his start.
The institute offers, as a companion to the guide, a CD-ROM version
for those requiring a rapidly searchable, computer-resident database,
including all of the features described above. It operates in a
Windows(r) Help format for rapid access and information navigation.
CD features include copy-and-paste for text and the ability to
retrieve photographs and drawings for reports and presentations.
The CD-ROM even has a “numeric value conversion calculator”
for converting those metric-ton displacement figures to English
long tons. The author even provides an e-mail address and fax number
for comments and additions.
The CD is priced at $104.96 to institute members and $149.95 for
non-members. This is amazing. The competition charges twice or three
times as much for CD versions of reference books. The institute
deserves the highest praise for this millennium issue. In an era
of increased prices for the print medium, “Combat Fleets”
is a bargain.
Standard-Bearers
The Big Four, as I call them—”Infantry Weapons”
(25th Ed.), “Armour & Artillery” (20th Ed.), “All
the World’s Aircraft” (90th Ed.) and “Fighting
Ships” (102nd Ed.)—must certainly be considered the
very foundation of the military-reference genre, probably because
of the number of editions that have been produced.
One of the oldest naval references, the newly released 1999-2000
edition (102nd) of “Jane’s Fighting Ships,” edited
by British Royal Navy Capt. Richard Sharpe, certainly ranks as one
of the best.
Contents include ensigns and flags, ranks and insignia, pennant
listings of major surface ships and a very comprehensive forward,
covering key issues of importance to world naval forces. More than
4,000 color photographs are provided.
The price of this edition is $530. A CD-ROM version is available
for $1,225. An online version is $1,350. Jane’s management
is said to be confident that hard-copy production of its references
will remain secure “until the limitations of existing computer-display
screens can be overcome.”
A top choice among the many Jane’s series is “Infantry
Weapons” (25th Ed.). I am proud to say that I possess, in
my library, the first edition of this important work.
The latest edition contains 116 new entries, which is surprising
considering the development cutbacks that are endemic to this technical
field. The foreword by editor Terry Gander makes the point that
the world is “awash” with guns. Yet, this book thrives
on new developments and technical advances in the field. Photographs
are black and white. There is a manufacturer’s index and a
contractor’s list. There is a paucity of advertisers in this
edition, which may be a sign of the times. The price of the hard-cover
edition is $480, the CD-ROM is $1,195, and the online version is
$1,315.
Jane’s “Armour and Artillery” (20th Ed), edited
by Christopher Foss, has added a few color photographs, few being
the operative word. However, the diagrams and tables of technical
data are excellent. There are only 23 new entries in this edition,
which is indicative of where the big development bucks are not going.
This volume provides a contractor’s listing and manufacturer’s
index, and interestingly, a weapons index by caliber. There are
a lot more advertisers in this volume, which, I suppose, is a tribute
to its editor and Jane’s marketing group. The hard-cover edition
is $530, the CD-ROM is $1,195, and the online version is $1,315.
Last, but not least, in what I have called the “Big Four,”
is Jane’s “All the World’s Aircraft” (90th
Ed.), edited by Paul Jackson. New entries in this edition are impressive,
but the selection of color photographs is limited. Most images are
black and white, but very good.
In his foreword, Jackson quotes the Latin phrase “fastina
lente”—hasten slowly, which succinctly describes the
aviation industry. Here, the mixture is commercial and military.
Both are represented in excellent exploded, detailed drawings.
The lighter-than-air section is amazingly informative and thorough.
Advertising is sparse, but there is plenty of detailed technical
information, which is the heart of any successful reference work.
The hard cover is priced at $530, the CD-ROM at $1,225, and the
online version at $1,350.
In an unusual offer, Jane’s will provide “All the World’s
Aircraft on Microfiche,” from the first edition in 1909 through
1993-1994. The complete set goes for $3,000. As a matter of fact,
all of the above editions, except “Infantry Weapons,”
can be purchased on microfiche.
You can order, direct from Jane’s by calling: 1-800-824-0768.
Or fax: 1-800-836-0297. Jane’s also has a homepage at http://www.janes.com,
and Jane’s online is at www.janesonline.com.
Jane’s is poised to remain a pillar of the reference information,
both military and commercial.
Dr. David LL. Silbergeld is a member of the Special Operations
and Low-Intensity Conflict Division of the National Defense Industrial
Association. His e-mail address is dsilber@epix.net.