Written by a renowned expert in modern conflicts, this fully illustrated book provides an examination of ground warfare over the past 20 years and looks ahead to the future.

Using lessons drawn from recent history including the war in Ukraine, Boots on the Ground offers a fascinating insight into how armies and battlefields of the future will look. Each chapter details one key aspect of modern ground warfare, expertly assessing the technologies and tactics in use at the sharp end. From artillery, nicknamed the God of War, to combat engineering, to the so-called battlefield taxis or Infantry Fighting Vehicles, each chapter is packed full of detail and unpublished photographs. Boots on the Ground also reveals the increasing importance of the Grey Zone and how cyber operations will have a direct impact on operations. This has been evident in Ukraine where cities have been attacked by Russian drones and Ukrainian forces sank a Russian ship in the Black Sea using a Bayraktar drone.

But a case is also made for the continued importance of the infantry, showing how technology can only do so much and only then if in the hands of well-trained boots on the ground. Including case studies from Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Ukraine, and unrivalled access to serving Special Ops teams, Leigh Neville also offers an assessment of NATO armies and special forces and how prepared they are for possible operations against the evolving threats of Iran, Russia or even China.

Soldiers in today's modern armies have access to ever more advanced infantry weapons; lighter, more compact and more accurate than anything seen in the last century. These include combat pistols, personal assault rifles, submachine guns, sniper rifles, shotguns, light machine guns and squad automatic weapons.

Infantry Small Arms of the 21st Century features all these weapons and more in exhaustive detail. The author draws on the operational combat experience of the users in war zones such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Ukraine. As well as assessing and comparing the potency of different nations weapon systems, the book looks to the future demands of the infantry man.

As in the case of the author's previous work Guns of Special Forces 2001-2015, the result is an affordable, comprehensive and authoritative study of modern infantry weapons.

In October 2001, the most militarily advanced nation on Earth came into conflict with one of its least developed nations as American forces poured into Afghanistan. The tip of the spear, the sharpest of the attacks, were drawn from the U.S. Special Forces community, and largely from the units of the United States Army Special Forces--the famous Green Berets--who, together with the Special Activities Division and the Afghan Northern Alliance, overthrew the Taliban in a lightning campaign that redefined modern warfare.

This new study reveals the grueling Green Beret training and preparation, the specialized equipment they used in the field, and traces their deployment throughout the campaign: from the first arrival of forces to the fall of Kabul and Kandahar; from the Taliban uprising at the notorious Fort of Warin Mazar-e-Sharif to the clearance of Tora Bora and Operation Anaconda in the Shah-i-Kot Valley.

Highly-trained and immensely skilled, the SAS are widely regarded as one of the best Special Forces units in the world. Their missions are uniquely diverse: counter-terrorist responses at home and abroad; deep penetration for reconnaissance and guiding air strikes; training and supporting indigenous forces; counter-insurgency in collaboration with U.S. Delta Force, SEAL Team Six, and other foreign Special Forces; mobile operations in support of conventional forces; targeting terrorist leaders and manhunting war criminals, to direct action raids.

This book charts the changing organization and operational emphases of the regiment over the past twenty-five years, as well as its individual deployments and operations, including those planned but aborted and joint missions with other British and foreign units. It sheds light on the SAS's involvement in the Troubles of Northern Ireland, their operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the widespread use of the SAS in counter-terrorism and counterinsurgency operations since 9/11.

Intelligence specialist Leigh Neville identifies, describes and illustrates the Special Operations Forces (SOF) of the US and other Allied (Coalition) forces committed to the 'War on Terror' in Afghanistan since 2001, providing a fascinating insight into specific operations detailing weapons, equipment and experiences in combat. With a surprising amount of recently unclassified material from government departments that are yet to be published in the mass media, this is a ground-breaking analysis of the largest mobilization of Special Forces in recent history.

Extensive first-hand accounts provide an eyewitness perspective of the fighting including a description of the assault on Tora Bora, all illustrated with an array of unpublished photos and full color artwork. Containing detailed information on the US Delta Force, the British SAS, Australian and Canadian Special Forces as well as CIA and MI6 operational units this book provides a crucial study of their skills and success amidst Afghan mountains.

The patrol vehicles used by Special Operations Forces in Afghanistan and Iraq vary quite dramatically between the theaters as well as amongst the Coalition members, and have been developed and upgraded to meet the demands of the deployment. Covering all the major Coalition nations, Leigh Neville continues his look at the elite forces deployed in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom with this analysis of their vehicles.

Tracing the evolution of the vehicle types, from their historical precedents, through their designs to their operational developments, he discusses their advantages and disadvantages, along with their tactical employment. From the mine-protected vehicles used to counter the IED threat in Iraq, the use of Strykers as armored raiding platforms by the US Rangers, to the civilian vehicles adapted for military service by both Coalition troops and Private Military Contractors in the regions, this book uses rare in-theater photographs and color artwork to show the variety and inventiveness of the patrol vehicles being used in combat today.

In the early morning hours of March 4, 2002, a reconnaissance team of US Navy SEALs from the Tier One Naval Special Warfare Development Group attached to Joint Special Operations Task Force 11 attempted to infiltrate onto an Afghan mountain peak in support of what was then the largest operation conducted by US forces since Vietnam, Operation Anaconda. The SEALs were tasked with establishing covert observation posts to call in air strikes on al Qaeda positions in the infamous Shah-i-Khot Valley close to the Afghan-Pakistan border.

Anaconda was designed to engage large numbers of foreign al Qaeda fighters who had fled to the valley after the overthrow of their hosts, the Taliban government and the later battle of Tora Bora in December 2001 which forced many of the foreign fighters toward the border and into the Shah-i-Khot, a traditional refuge of mujahideen in the 1980s. Anaconda brought together both conventional American forces and a large collection of US and Coalition special operations forces to hunt down the al Qaeda remnants.

As the SEAL's special operation Chinook, flown by the Nightstalkers of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, attempted to land on the peak of the 11,000 foot Takur Ghar, hidden al Qaeda defenders sprang an ambush. The Chinook was struck by RPGs and small arms fire and banked away to escape. In the process, a SEAL fell from the rear ramp and tumbled into the snow below. The crippled Chinook managed to escape the ambush and land several kilometres away.

A second Chinook was dispatched which picked up the SEAL team and flew them back to the peak of Takur Ghar in a desperate search for the missing SEAL. As the SEALs and their Air Force Combat Controller exited the helicopter they were immediately engaged by the al Qaeda defenders. A ferocious firefight erupted resulting in the death of the Combat Controller and two SEALs being wounded. Eventually the outnumbered SEALs were forced to withdraw from the peak.

At Bagram, the Task Force 11 Quick Reaction Force was launched to attempt a rescue of the SEALs. The QRF was comprised of two Nightstalker Chinooks carrying Army Rangers and Air Force Combat Controllers and Para Rescue Jumpers, specialists in Combat Search and Rescue. Due to both command difficulties and communications problems, the one of the QRF Chinooks never received a warning about landing on the peak. Instead, the Chinook landed directly onto the peak and into the sights of al Qaeda.

The Chinook was immediately struck by RPG, recoilless rifle and heavy machine gun fire killing or seriously wounding several Rangers and Nightstalkers. The QRF became engaged in an epic seventeen hour firefight, finally killing or driving off all al Qaeda fighters from the peak with a combination of superb small unit tactics and danger close air strikes from F-16s, F-15s, an AC-130 and an armed CIA RQ-1 Predator. Al Qaeda reinforcements were kept at bay by an Australian Special Air Service OP on a nearby mountain which called in air strikes whenever reinforcements neared the trapped Rangers and SEALs.

Created by a world leader in modern Special Forces with access to some of the most secretive elite units, this book provides a fascinating overview of Special Forces units around the world, including the SAS and Delta Force.

Using stunning photographs from around the world, including some previously unpublished, The Elite: The A-Z of Modern Special Operations Forces is the ultimate guide to the secretive world of modern Special Forces. It sends the reader back in time to operations such as Eagle Claw in Iran and the recapture of the Iranian Embassy in London and then forward to recent operations against al Shabaab and Islamic State. Entries also detail units ranging from the New Zealand SAS Group to the Polish GROM, and key individuals from Iraq counter-terrorism strategist General Stanley McChrystal to Victoria Cross recipient SASR Corporal Mark Donaldson.

Answering questions such as how much the latest four-tube night vision goggles worn by the SEALs in Zero Dark Thirty cost, what types of parachutes are used to covertly parachute into a target location, and if Special Forces still use HALO jumps, this book is the definitive single-source guide to the world's elite Special Forces.

The Munich Olympics massacre in 1972 was a shock awakening to the public. In the decades since, European countries have faced a wide range of threats from Palestinian and home-grown terrorists, to the more recent worldwide jihadists. The threats they pose are widespread from aircraft hijacking and political assassinations to urban warfare against security forces, and murderous attacks on civilian crowd targets, forcing governments have had to invest ever-greater efforts in countering these threats.

This book traces the evolution of police (and associated military) counter-terrorist forces across Europe over the past 45 years. Using specially commissioned artwork and contemporary photographs, it details their organization, missions, specialist equipment, and their growing cross-border cooperation.

Over the last 30 years, the technical or armed pick-up truck has become arguably the most ubiquitous military land vehicle of modern warfare.

Harking back to the armed Jeeps and Chevrolet trucks of the SAS and Long Range Desert Group in North Africa in World War II, the world's first insurgent technicals were those of the Sahrawi People's Liberation Army in Algeria in the late 1970s, followed by the Chadian use of technical in the so-called Toyota War against Libya. Since then, technicals have seen use in Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya, as well as being used by Western and Russian Special Forces.

Fully illustrated with commissioned artwork and providing rigorous analysis, this is the first history of how this deceptively simple fighting vehicle has been used and developed in conflicts worldwide.

An illustrated study of the radical evolution of the Australian Army's capabilities, and its combat operations, that has taken place since the end of the Vietnam War.

The Australian Army at War 1976-2016, written by an Australian author who has written extensively about modern warfare, traces the development of the Army's organization, combat uniforms, load-bearing equipment, small arms and major weapon systems using specially commissioned artwork and photographs.

Since the end of their involvement in the Vietnam War, the Australian Army has been modernized in every respect. After peacekeeping duties in South-East Asia, Africa and the Middle East in the 1980s-90s, Diggers were sent to safeguard the newly independent East Timor from Indonesian harassment in 1999, and to provide long-term protection and mentoring since 2006. Australian Army units have served in the US-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Australian Special Forces are currently operating alongside US and British elements against ISIS in northern Iraq. During these campaigns the Australian SAS Regiment and Commandos have fully matured into Tier 1 assets, internationally recognized for their wide range of capabilities.

Fighting an elusive and dangerous enemy far from home, the British army in Afghanistan has been involved in asymmetric warfare for the best part of a decade. The eight-year series of deployments jointly known as Operation 'Herrick', alongside US and other NATO contingents within the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, have been the longest continuous combat commitment of the British Army since World War II. Together with Operation 'Telic' in Iraq, which immediately preceded and overlapped with it, this conflict has shaped the British Army for a generation. Enemy threats have diversified and evolved, with a consequent evolution of British doctrine, tactics and equipment. This book provides a detailed analysis of those specifics within a clear, connected account of the course of the war in Helmand, operation by operation.

Intelligence specialist Leigh Neville identifies, describes and illustrates the Special Operations Forces (SOF) of the US and other Allied (Coalition) forces committed to war in Iraq since 2003, providing a fascinating insight into specific operations, detailing weapons, equipment and experiences in combat. With a surprising amount of recently declassified material from government departments that are yet to be published in the mass media, this is a ground-breaking analysis of the largest mobilization of Special Forces in recent history.

With extensive first-hand accounts providing an eyewitness perspective of the fighting on the ground and including information on the US Delta Force, the British SAS, Australian and Canadian special forces as well as CIA and MI6 operational units this book provides a crucial study of their skills and success in Iraq from the Battle of Debecka to storming the safe house of Uday Hussein. In a controversial war that has been plagued by high fatalities and military blunders, this book highlights the successes enjoyed by Special Forces operatives. This book serves as a companion volume to Elite 163: Special Forces Operations: Afghanistan.

Written by an expert on modern special forces units and the operations they undertake, this book explains the evolution of the Rangers' missions in Panama, the first Gulf War, Somalia, and the post-9/11 invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. It reveals the training and organizational changes that the unit has undergone and investigates, in particular, how their doctrine and mantra have changed during the fourteen-year war in Afghanistan.

At the beginning of the war, the Rangers were an elite light infantry unit of men tasked with short-duration recon raids and securing ground behind enemy lines in support of Special Forces--eventually becoming a special-mission unit themselves--on the cusp of being assigned to the Joint Special Operations Command.