Word: polmar
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...high rate of inaccuracy. While many military experts argued that battleships simply provide an empty show of force, defenders of the dreadnoughts responded that in some situations they are invaluable in projecting a nation's power and determination. "In peacetime the mission is political presence," says naval analyst Norman Polmar, "and they are very impressive for that." But they are also quite expensive. While cheaper to operate than an aircraft carrier, each of the four active battleships consumes $80 million a year in operations and support costs...
...Soviet gross national product (vs. 6% for the U.S.). That comes to roughly $300 billion and places a heavy burden on the country. Observers agree that Gorbachev's restructuring of the civilian economy will not be possible without parallel changes in the military. Inevitably, as U.S. Naval Analyst Norman Polmar points out, "Gorbachev's reforms will directly confront major military interests...
...problem was the unclear circumstances of the Stark's mission," says Naval Analyst Norman Polmar. "The captain didn't know whether he was at war or peace." Yet despite charges that the Navy's mission in the Persian Gulf was poorly defined, it was in fact the most traditional of all naval roles: helping keep essential sea-lanes open and showing the flag in a region of vital interest...
...also say that Rickover's single- minded belief in large pressurized-water reactors drove the Navy to build bigger, if not necessarily better, submarines while overlooking possible alternatives in propulsion design. Soviet submarines can now dive deeper and go faster, and are narrowing U.S. advantages like quietness. Notes Norman Polmar, a Rickover biographer: "In the '50s, Rickover was a technical visionary. By the '60s, he was reactionary...
...answer is that Clancy, 37, studied the major unclassified books dealing with Soviet submarines, such as Combat Fleets of the World and Norman Polmar's Guide to the Soviet Navy. Another important resource was the $9.95 war game Harpoon, devised as an instruction manual for Navy ROTC cadets, which comes with a 40-page rule book of strategy and tactics for Soviet-American naval engagements. The author also interviewed former submariners who are now operating the Baltimore Gas & Electric nuclear power plant near his home in Huntingtown, Md. "I didn't get kissed by the muse," he says...