For forty years, NATO and Soviet Naval forces patrolled the world’s oceans. Retired Tornado driver and author Michael Napier joins us to discuss his latest book, Over Cold War Seas: NATO and Soviet Naval Aviation, 1949-1989, which looks at the four-decade duel for control of the world’s sea lanes and the aircraft that flew above them looking for what lurked above and beneath the waves.

Buy Over Cold War Seas: NATO and Soviet Naval Aviation, 1949-1989 by Michael Napier Bookshop.org affiliate links. 10% of each purchase supports the show:

UK Link – https://uk.bookshop.org/a/11015/9781472865526

US Link – https://bookshop.org/a/11015/9781472865526

—————————————————–

🛫 Join us on Patreon! Join from just £3 + VAT a month to get ad-free episodes, chat with Matt, and receive a personalised welcome pack. Click here for more info: https://www.patreon.com/theaviationshow

—————————————————–

✈️Get the latest from the Pima Air and Space Museum by following their socials!

Website: https://pimaair.org/

https://www.facebook.com/PimaAirAndSpace

https://www.instagram.com/pimaair

https://x.com/pimaair

https://www.youtube.com/c/PimaAirSpaceMuseum

Check out the Tucson Military Vehicle Museum here: https://www.tucsonmilitaryvehicle.org/

👕Get your aviation on with 909

Apparel today! Check out their website here: https://www.909apparel.com/

—————————————————–

The Aviation Show © 2026 by Matt Bone is licensed under Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International

—————————————————–

0:00 Introduction

1:11 The Birth of NATO’s Naval Strategy

7:49 Air Power and Naval Warfare

10:06 The Korean War’s Impact on Carrier Operations

16:34 Soviet Submarine Strategy Emerges

26:02 Control of the Seas by NATO

33:01 The Decline of British Naval Power

42:28 The 1980s: A Shift in Naval Dynamics

49:11 Modern Challenges in Maritime Warfare

55:32 The Evolving Landscape of Naval Aviation


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leave A Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *