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Pre-order Releases May 18, 2027

Paperback

Operation Praying Mantis 1988: The US Navy takes on Iran's fleet (Raid #61)

by Si Sheppard · illustrated by Adam Tooby

From $13.80 / copy at 20+ copies; lower per-copy prices at higher quantities (see Volume pricing) As low as $11.27 at 1,000+

80 pages Bloomsbury USA ISBN 9781472867322
Operation Praying Mantis 1988: The US Navy takes on Iran's fleet (Raid #61) book cover by Si Sheppard
Ships on release · May 18 Releases Tuesday, May 18, 2027. Pre-order now: your copies ship on release and usually arrive around the release date.

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About the book

Operation Praying Mantis 1988

Dramatically illustrated, this is an expert account of America's biggest surface battle since World War II, when the US Navy took on Iran's navy and air force in open combat.

Operation Praying Mantis was the culmination of the 1980s Tanker Wars in the Persian Gulf between the US and Iran. This one-day naval battle was a rare full-scale clash between modern warships, and until 2026 was the only occasion since World War II in which the US Navy sank a major surface combatant.

In this book, Professor Si Sheppard draws upon his academic research to provide a thorough briefing on the background to the battle. For more than a year, Operation Earnest Will had protected Kuwaiti oil tankers from Iranian missile and mine attacks in the largest naval convoy operation since World War II, while helicopters of the 160th SOAR and SEAL fast boats fought a cat-and-mouse campaign against Iran's minelayers in Operation Prime Chance. However, when the USS Samuel B. Roberts was nearly sunk by an Iranian mine, the US Navy planned an open offensive against Iran's military installations.

With dramatic new artwork, maps, and photos, this book offers a blow-by-blow account of how Praying Mantis unfolded, how Iran responded with its surface fleet, Boghammar speedboats, airpower and Silkworm missiles, and how in the ensuing battle the US Navy prevailed, sinking one frigate, crippling another, and decimating Iran's naval forces in the Persian Gulf.



Details

Publisher
Bloomsbury USA
Author
Si Sheppard
Illustrator
Adam Tooby
Format
Paperback
Release date
May 18, 2027
ISBN-13
9781472867322
ISBN-10
1472867327
Pages
80
Carton quantity
50 copies

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Buying for a group

Operation Praying Mantis 1988 for groups: pricing

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CopiesPrice per copyYou save
20 – 99 $13.80 40% off list
100 – 249 $13.34 42% off list
250 – 499 $12.19 47% off list
500 – 999 $11.73 49% off list
1,000+ $11.27 51% off list

Where can I buy 100 copies of Operation Praying Mantis 1988?

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Volume pricing applies automatically in your cart, with no code needed. Price per copy: 20 to 99 copies, $13.80 (40% off list); 100 to 249 copies, $13.34 (42% off list); 250 to 499 copies, $12.19 (47% off list); 500 to 999 copies, $11.73 (49% off list); 1,000+ copies, $11.27 (51% off list). Need a different quantity, or a quote to forward for approval? Ask a specialist and we will confirm pricing before you pay.

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