As Americaâ_x0080__x0099_s expeditionary force-in-readiness, the US Marine Corps operates an eclectic mix of fixed-wing, rotary-wing, tiltrotor and unmanned aircraft to support the marine rifleman on the ground. The first two decades of the 21st century have seen an almost complete transformation of the marine air wings, as Cold War-era legacy aircraft yield to digital-age replacements. In Harpiaâ_x0080__x0099_s first book dedicated to a North American air arm, Joe Copalman explains the significance of each aircraft transition in the Marine Corps over the previous 20 years â_x0080__x0093_ community by community â_x0080__x0093_ on the Marine Air-Ground Task Force and its ability to conduct amphibious and expeditionary warfare.

While some of these transitions, like that of the KC-130T to KC-130J and AH-1W to AH-1Z, have been incremental, evolutionary steps up, others like the tandem-rotor CH-46 Sea Knight to the tiltrotor MV-22 Osprey and the introduction of the F-35 Lightning II to replace all three of the Marine Corpsâ_x0080__x0099_ tactical jets have revolutionized the way the service fights. In addition to introducing newer, vastly more capable and connected aircraft into its air wings, the Marine Corps has also invested heavily in keeping its remaining legacy fleets at the cutting edge of lethality and survivability throughout the final days of each typeâ_x0080__x0099_s service.

Utilizing a before-and-after approach, Copalman guides the reader through every transition in Modern USMC Air Power, examining what each legacy aircraft brought to the fight, and how the serviceâ_x0080__x0099_s newer platforms have improved upon those capabilities, especially when aided by new constructs like precision-guided ordnance and digital interoperability.