Back Bay Books Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War

Libro molto interessante, che apre uno spaccato insolito sugli scenari politici e tecnici del Pentagono, di chi ci lavoroa e dei decisori politici americani del tempo.

This is a pretty good biography, about an extraordinary man and his contributions. Just by telling the story of Boyd's life and what he did he necessarily conveys many of Boyd's ideas, and shows the path of how they were developed. The book, in and of itself, is a good read: interesting, fun, and you want to keep on reading to see what happens next, or to hear the details of a "future" event that has been alluded to already in the text. The writing is fluid and easy to read. The one drawback is that at times it seems to overly idolize people and places and concepts that were prominent in Boyd's life, or to overly trash the F-15 (which has a 100+ to 0 combat record by the way . . . ) the M1 Abrams, the Bradley IFV, etc. That is, it doesn't come off as terribly objective or fair at times. But this book is also extremely helpful and filled with excellent insights because that was the nature of Boyd's work. Some of the good things anyone can take away from this book include: - Boyd's theory of learning -be especially sure to read the Appendix- and the explanation of how it came about - Boyd's to be or to do philosophy in life, and the example of his integrity and honesty and desire to do something useful in life - The ability of a guy with an IQ of 90 to become an major innovator through sheer hard work, introspection, continuous striving for learning and improvement, drive, focus on real accomplishment, not worrying about artificial restrictions or bending the rules, use of creativity, etc. - The insidious nature of bureaucracy and how it becomes a self-serving and self-perpetuating organization that loses connection to its original and stated purpose Aerospace, defense, and military personnel will also be particularly interested in things such as: - How Maneuver Warfare came about and some minimal explanation of what it is - The design histories and successes / failures of the F-111, F-15, F-16, B-1 and A-10 - The politics and workings of the military industrial complex and the Pentagon - Comparison between the F-86 and MiG-15 in combat over Korea and why the F-86 emerged with a 10-to-1 kill ratio - How Energy-Maneuverability theory came about and influenced fighter tactics and aircraft design - A brief introduction to the OODA loop as a guiding tool for conflict - The hierarchy between people, ideas, and technology in fighting wars This book is highly recommended, and especially so to all aerospace / defense industry / military people

Nicht für mich, aber als Geschenk für einen Freund der eine Ausbildung bei der Bundeswehr als Pilot macht. Er war komplett begeistert von dem Buch, also eine klare Empfehlung von meiner Seite.

A obra apresenta a vida do Coronel Boyd e como ele influenciou tanto as táticas de combate, os projetos das modernas aeronaves da USAF, nos anos 70 e 80, e como ele revolucionou o pensamento militar, com a fusão de várias teorias militares em seus brifins e papers, culminando com a teoria do ciclo OODA.

I strongly recommend this book - a very engaging biography on a complex and enigmatic man. From Col John Boyd's drive to master his profession, and calling, as a fighter pilot and his subsequent personal journey to develop a revolutionary theory on the application of force, it is a fascinating, engaging read. Coram's narrative can slip into hyperbole to make a point, particularly when describing Boyd's confrontations with 'the orthodoxy', be they his peers, superiors or a monolithic service [Navy, Army, Marines or Air Force]. However, this style does encourage you to identify with Col Boyd and understand why his unconventional approach allied with his sheer determination was so necessary to question dogma and unchallanged assumptions. You live Col Boyd's struggle to develop a mathmatical formula [the EM theory] to allow a comparative assessment of a fighter aircraft and how this was extrapolated to become a theory of manoeuvre applicable through the strategic, operational and tactical levels of warfare. There is a price for this innovation and it was his family; it is clear Col Boyd was a singularly driven man. Any military professional must read this book as it provides an ideal means to understand the development of the Manoeuvrist Approach in the modern Western context. I have a few criticisims; source referencing could be better and there really should be wider selection of photographs. Finally, alot of detail is invested in the the EM theory, the F-X and LWF that a explanatory diagrams would of added value in illustrating core points, but these do not detract from an engaging biography.