Boots on the Ground

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to the so-called ‘battlefield taxis’ or Infantry Fighting Vehicles, each chapter is packed full of detail and unpublished photographs.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.

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to the so-called ‘battlefield taxis’ or Infantry Fighting Vehicles, each chapter is packed full of detail and unpublished photographs.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.