"The ideas of U.S. Air Force Colonel John Boyd (1927-1997) have transformed American military policy and practice. A first-rate fighter pilot and a self-taught scholar, he wrote the first manual on jet aerial combat; spearheaded the design of both of the Air Force's premier fighters, the F-15 and the F-16; and shaped the tactics that saved lives during the Vietnam War and the strategies that won the Gulf War. In addition, Boyd led the Military Reform Movement in the 1970s and 1980s, calling for radical change in Pentagon procurement procedures. A perceptive and original thinker, he synthesized ideas from across disciplines to formulate his own philosophy about warfare, competition, decision making, and the nature of leadership." "In The Mind of War, Grant T. Hammond offers the first complete portrait of Boyd, his groundbreaking ideas, and his enduring legacy." "Based on extensive interviews with Boyd and with those who knew him as well as on a close analysis of Boyd's briefings, this intellectual biography brings the work of an extraordinary thinker to a broader public."--BOOK JACKET.

The man and his mind -- The making of a maverick -- Air-to-air combat -- Energy maneuverability -- Designing fighters : the F-15 -- Designing fighters : the F-16 -- The military reform movement -- Patterns of conflict -- A discourse on winning and losing -- A retired fighter pilot who reads a lot -- That marvelous pitch of vision -- Epilogue to the paperback edition.