Böcker av Alexander Mladenov

A detailed study of the early Cold War development and operations of the Bulgarian Air Force. It covers the entire spectrum of counter air operations undertaken by the Bulgarian air arm between 1946 and 1960, including the tragic downing of El Al Flight 402.

A concise research on the wartime development and operations of the Bulgarian Air Force. It covers the entire spectrum of air-to-air, air-to-ground and reconnaissance operations undertaken by the Bulgarian air arm between 1941 and 1945 as well as the naval operations in the Black Sea.

The Kamov Ka-50 (NATO codename Hokum) was developed as a new-generation heavily-armoured attack helicopter - originally conceived as a one-to-one replacement of the Mi-24 Hind. The programme was launched at the Moscow-based Kamov Experimental Design Bureau in the late 1970s. The concept - promoted by the then young and inventive head of Kamov, Sergey Mikheev - called for an unorthodox, well-protected, agile and small-size attack machine. The unorthodox attack rotorcraft made its maiden flight in June 1982. It pioneered the Kamov¿s trademark co-axial rotor scheme, combined with a highly automated flight/navigation/targeting suite and long-range anti-tank guided missiles. In the late 1980s - after a protracted head-to-head competition pitted against the Mil Mi-28 - it was judged as being definitely superior to its competitor and was subsequently ordered for serial production. The first production-standard Ka-50 took to the air in May 1991 and the new type was formally commissioned into Russian Army Aviation Service in August 1995. As many as five prototypes and 13 production-standard helicopters were manufactured between 1982 and 2009. The single-seat and highly-automated Ka-50, however, appeared on the scene at just the wrong time, with its production launched during the dissolution of the mighty Soviet Union and the onset of sharp cuts in Russia¿s defence budget, which led to its termination in the late 2000s. First design work on a two-seat derivative of the Ka-50 - designated as the Ka-52 Alligator - commenced as early as 1994 (initially as a company-funded venture). The first prototype - using the fuselage of a production-standard Ka-50 with a new nose section - was rolled out in November 1996 and made its maiden flight in the hover on 25 June 1997. In 2003, the Ka-52 successfully completed the first phase of the Russian military testing and evaluation effort - covering the flight performance. After three years, the Russian MoD finally allocated a budget for systems development testing and evaluation to be used within the framework of the second phase of the Ka-52¿s state testing effort. In addition, the Russian MoD allocated funds to setting up a production line at the AAC progress plant in Arsenyev - situated in Russia¿s Far Eastern territories. Even before completion of this effort, the initial production-standard Ka-52s were rolled out in the second half of 2010 and handed over to the Army Aviation Centre of Combat Training and Aircrew Conversion at Torzhok in December that year. Currently, the Ka-52 is the main new-generation type of the Russian Army Aviation Service, with approximately 200 examples ordered - plus another 36 for the Russia Naval Aviation.

The Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot was the Soviet Air Force's first mass-produced jet purposely designed for the close air support role and was a simple, effective and durable attack aircraft that, by 2012, had seen combat in no fewer than 40 conflicts. This title examines the development history, evolution and combat performance of the Su-25 Frogfoot.

The MiG-21 (NATO reporting name Fishbed) firmly holds the title of the world's most widely built and used jet fighter, with more than 10,000 units rolling off the lines of three plants in the former Soviet Union. This book deals with this topic.

Details the technical features and operational performance of the Soviet Su-25 'Frogfoot', which proved itself as a durable and versatile attack aircraft in a variety of theatres such as Afghanistan, Georgia and Ossetia.