Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
Military Hardware: Tanks, Bombers, Submarines and More
Key Points and Summary – HMS Hood, the Royal Navy’s most famous battlecruiser, combined speed, heavy guns, and substantial armor—but entered WWII overdue for...
Key Points and Summary – America’s 175 Fletcher-class destroyers, launched beginning in 1942, became WWII’s definitive U.S. workhorse and later fought in Korea and...
Key Points and Summary – Ford-class carriers replace Nimitz-class with major upgrades: twin A1B reactors delivering triple the electrical power; EMALS catapults and Advanced...
Key Points and Summary – Conceived to replace the A-6, the stealthy, flying-wing A-12 Avenger II promised a carrier-borne, precision night striker with radar-killing...
Key Points and Summary – France’s nuclear-powered flagship, Charles de Gaulle (R91), is a 42,000-ton CATOBAR carrier commissioned in 2001. -Powered by twin K15...
Article Summary – Essex-Class Carriers: The WWII Workhorses That Fought Into Vietnam -The U.S. Navy’s Essex-class carriers—24 ships built from 1941–46—were the backbone of...