Weapon: Technology and Strategy in Modern Combat

By Fouad Sabry

Discover the Power of "Weapon": A Comprehensive Guide to Modern Armament

About "Weapon"

Dive deep into the world of armament with "Weapon," your ultimate resource for understanding the tools of defense and conflict. This authoritative guide covers everything from ancient artillery to cutting-edge military technology, providing an in-depth look at the implements that have shaped human history and modern society. Whether used for hunting, self-defense, law enforcement, or warfare, weapons play a crucial role in tactical and strategic scenarios. Explore how these devices are designed, controlled, and utilized to gain advantage and ensure security.

What You'll Gain

Unlock a wealth of knowledge and gain insights into:

- Chapter 1: Weapon - An overview of the fundamental concepts and classifications of weapons.

- Chapter 2: Artillery - Discover the history and evolution of large-scale projectile weaponry.

- Chapter 3: Firearm - Learn about the mechanics, history, and impact of handheld guns.

- Chapter 4: Arms Control - Understand the policies and treaties that regulate weapon proliferation.

- Chapter 5: Chemical Warfare - Examine the development and use of chemical agents in conflict.

- Chapter 6: Disarmament - Explore global efforts to reduce and eliminate weapons.

- Chapter 7: Military Technology - Stay updated on the latest advancements in defense tech.

- Chapter 8: Non-lethal Weapon - Investigate alternatives designed to incapacitate without fatality.

- Chapter 9: Siege Engine - Study ancient machines of war used to breach fortifications.

- Chapter 10: Grenade Launcher - Get to know the versatile devices used in modern combat.

Frequently Asked Questions Answered

This book also addresses the most pressing questions about weapons, offering clear and detailed answers that enhance your understanding and satisfy your curiosity.

Who Should Read "Weapon"

This book is essential for:

- Professionals seeking comprehensive knowledge of armament.

- Undergraduate and graduate students in related fields.

- Enthusiasts and hobbyists passionate about weaponry.

- Anyone looking to deepen their understanding beyond the basics.

Equip yourself with the knowledge to understand the intricacies of weaponry. Order your copy of "Weapon" today and become an expert in the field of modern armament.

• Language: English
• Publisher: One Billion Knowledgeable
• Release date: Jun 19, 2024

Book preview

Chapter 1: Weapon

Any tool or technology that has the potential to intimidate, threaten, cause physical harm, cause death, or dissuade is considered a weapon, arm, or armament. Hunting, crime, law enforcement, self-defense, combat, and suicide are just a few examples of activities where weapons are employed to boost effectiveness and efficiency. Anything used to obtain a tactical, strategic, material, or mental edge over a foe or hostile target may be viewed as a weapon in a larger sense.

While many everyday objects, such as sticks, rocks, bottles, chairs, and vehicles, can be used as weapons, others are specifically made for this purpose. These include simple tools like clubs, axes, and swords as well as more complex weapons like modern firearms, tanks, intercontinental ballistic missiles, biological weapons, and cyberweapons. Weaponization is the process of modifying something to make it more effective as a weapon of war. Examples include weaponizing a virus or a laser.

Weapons are a type of tool that are used to dominate and subdue autonomous agents, such as animals, and by doing so allow for the expansion of the cultural niche, while at the same time other weapon users (i.e., agents such as humans, groups, and cultures) are able to adapt to enemies' weapons by learning, sparking a continuous process of competitive technological, skill, and cognitive development (arms race).

Chimpanzees have been spotted using things as weapons, The first ancient weapons were simply evolutions of late Neolithic artifacts, but substantial advancements in making methods and materials sparked a number of revolutions in military technology.

In the Copper Age (about 3,300 BC), copper was used to create the first metal tools. The Bronze Age that followed saw the invention of the Bronze Age sword and other related weapons.

The first fortresses and defensive buildings also emerged during the Bronze Age, The evolution of ancient weaponry was significantly influenced by the advent of ironworking in Greece circa 1300 BC. But rather, it was the domestication of the horse and the widespread use of spoked wheels by around 2000 BC, not the appearance of early Iron Age swords, which were inferior to their bronze counterparts. Attack range and speed were improved by the horse.

By the seventh century BC, vessels like the trireme were in use in addition to land-based weapons.

Elite knightly bands reinforced by massive troops dominated European warfare during the Post-Classical era (both in combat and ranged roles). They engaged in sieges that utilized a variety of siege weaponry and tactics as well as mobile fighting. In order to impact opposing formations, knights on horses developed strategies for charging with lances before drawing more useful weapons (such swords) once they joined the battle. In contrast, soldiers relied on affordable, reliable weapons like spears and billhooks for close quarters warfare and bows for ranged combat in the era before organized formations. Infantry switched to pikes as armies became more expert and standardized their weaponry. Pikes are typically employed in conjunction with smaller side-arms and are seven to eight feet long (short sword).

Similar strategies were established in Eastern and Middle Eastern warfare without the influence of Europeans.

At the end of this time, gunpowder from Asia was introduced, revolutionizing battle. Open combat began to be dominated by formations of musketeers defended by pikemen, and the cannon replaced the trebuchet as the primary siege weapon.

The introduction of weapons into western combat began during the European Renaissance. The use of guns and rockets on the battlefield began.

Because they release energy through combustible propellants like gunpowder rather than a counter-weight or spring, firearms are qualitatively different from preceding weapons. This energy can be easily duplicated by the user and is released very quickly. As a result, even primitive firearms like the arquebus were much more potent than weapons powered by humans. Between the 16th and 19th centuries, innovations in ignition mechanisms led to significant changes in ammunition management and propellant, which increased the importance and effectiveness of firearms. Guns were used in novel ways during the American Civil War, including the invention of the machine gun and the ironclad warship, which are still recognized and effective military tools today, especially in small-scale engagements. Warship propulsion switched from sail power to fossil fuel-powered steam engines in the 19th century.

Human-powered weapons were replaced by gunpowder-based weapons starting in the North American French-Indian War in the middle of the 18th century and continuing through the early 20th. This time period, sometimes known as the Age of Rifles, saw the development of infantry weapons like rifles and cannons as well as the first mechanized weaponry like the machine gun. In particular, the ability of howitzers to destroy brick defenses and other fortifications led to a revolution in military affairs, producing strategies and doctrine that are still in use today.

The fast replication of innovations or their replacement by new ones throughout the Industrial Age was a key aspect of warfare at the time.

Weapons of mass destruction (such as chemical and biological weapons) and completely industrialized warfare were both introduced during World War I, and new weapons were quickly created to suit the demands of the conflict. A significant technological advance occurred during World War I, including the widespread use of airplanes in combat and the development of aircraft carriers for naval combat. Above all, it promised independence from the horse and a revival of maneuver warfare through expanded employment of motor vehicles to the military leaders. Although these military technology experienced evolutionary changes, they nonetheless helped shape development for the rest of the century.

During the interwar years (between World Wars I and II), all of the main industrial nations continued to advance their weapon systems, continuing this age of innovation in weapon design.

Major armament companies included Schneider-Creusot (based in France), Škoda Works (Czechoslovakia), Vickers, too (Great Britain).

The 1920s were committed to ending war, prohibiting toxic gas, and disarming, nonetheless, rearmament accelerated in the 1930s.

The producers of munitions quickly adjusted to the rapidly changing strategic and economic environment.

Romania was the primary consumer of munitions from the top three manufacturers, Yugoslavia, Greece, Turkey and also, a lesser degree, in Poland, Finland, Europe's Baltic States, the Soviet Union, and.

Realistic critics recognized that it was impossible to completely forbid war, however, its worst excesses may be outlawed.

In the 1920s, a worldwide fight against poison gas was launched.

No fights were won with poison gas, and the generals were opposed to it.

It was much more despised by the soldiers than bullets or explosive shells.

By 1918, 35% of French munitions supply were toxic shells, 25% of British people, Moreover, 20% of American stock.

The Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous, or Other Gases and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare, sometimes referred to as the Geneva Convention, released in 1925, and was embraced as official policy by all major nations.

In 1937, significant amounts of toxic gas were produced, but only against countries lacking sophisticated weapons or gas masks.

Many modern military weapons, especially those that are ground-based, are only very slight upgrades of weapon systems created during World War II. The development of armaments during World War II was arguably the most rapid in human history. Between 1939 and 1945, countless new ideas and concepts were implemented, and all current technologies were enhanced. The nuclear bomb was the most potent weapon created during this time, but many other weapons, including jet aircraft and radar, had a significant impact on the world but were overshadowed by the widespread use of nuclear weapons and long-range rockets.

The nuclear alternative of all-out war is no longer regarded as a survivable scenario in light of the realization of mutual assured destruction (MAD). In the years following World War II, the United States and the Soviet Union both participated in a nuclear armaments race known as the Cold War. Each nation and its allies made a constant effort to advance nuclear arms more quickly than their rivals. A new strategy has to be designed once the combined technical capabilities could guarantee the destruction of the Earth 100 times over. As a result of this insight, funding for armaments research returned to being primarily focused on developing conventional weapons systems to sustain limited wars rather than all-out war.

- Who or what organization uses the weapon

Small arms, often known as personal weapons, are intended for use by a single person.

Light weapons, sometimes known as man-portable weaponry, may be used by a small squad.

Heavy weapons are larger than light weapons, such as artillery and similar weaponry (see SALW).

Larger than personal weapons and requiring two or more users to function properly, crew served weapons.

Weapons employed largely inside fortifications or installed on permanent installations.

Mountain weapons are used by mountain forces or by people moving through challenging terrain.

Weapons for vehicles that can be installed on any kind of combat vehicle.

Designed to be mounted on railroad carriages, including armored trains, railway weaponry.

Weapons carried on and utilized by some types of airplanes, helicopters, and other aerial vehicles are known as aircraft weapons.

placed aboard ships and submarines, naval weaponry.

Weapons that can be deployed in or launched from space are known as space weapons.

Weapons classified as autonomous are able to complete a mission with little to no human involvement.

- the design of the weapon and its basic workings

Theoretically, antimatter weapons would combine matter and antimatter to set off a massive explosion.

In order to fire a projectile, archery weapons need a bent solid and a tensioned string.

Guns called artillery can shoot large projectiles over great distances.

The transmission of biological agents by biological weapons results in sickness or infection.

weapons that use chemicals to poison and cause reactions.

Energy weapons, like lasers or sonic attack, use concentrated types of energy to attack.

Explosive weapons produce blast concussion or disperse shrapnel through a physical explosion.

Projectiles are launched by firearms using a chemical charge.

Common items, like crowbars and kitchen knives, are repurposed as weapons called improvised weapons.

Fire damage is caused by incendiary weapons.

Non-lethal weapons are meant to disarm rather than kill.

Projectiles or particle beams are propelled by magnetic fields in magnetic weaponry.

Melee weapons strike a close target directly by acting as physical extensions of the user's body.

weapons with blades that penetrate the skin and produce bleeding.

Sharp objects that are intended to fracture bones, cause concussions, or cause crush injuries.

Rockets that are guided to their target after launch are known as missiles. (Also used to refer to projectile weapons generally).

explosives that linger over a battlefield before striking once a target is found.

Radioactive materials are used in nuclear weapons to produce nuclear fission and/or nuclear fusion detonations.

Primitive weapons use very little to no industrial or technical components.

Unlike melee weapons, ranged weapons aim towards a distant object or person.

Self-propelled projectiles include rockets.

Suicide weapons take advantage of the willingness of their user to die in the attack.

- the target type that the weapon is intended to strike.

In-flight missiles and aerial vehicles are the target of anti-aircraft weapons.

Weapons called anti-fortification are made to attack enemy installations.

Anti-personnel weapons are intended to attack individuals or groups of people.

Anti-radiation weapons specifically target radar transmitters as sources of electronic radiation.

Satellites in orbit are the target of anti-satellite weaponry.

Weapons designed to counter ships and other waterborne targets.

Submarines and other underwater targets are the target of anti-submarine weapons.

Armoured targets are intended to be defeated by anti-tank weapons.

Area denial weapons aim against a region, rendering it risky or unsuitable for use by or passage by the enemy.

Weapons used to hunt game animals are known as hunting weapons.

Weapons used to support infantry forces are intended to counter a variety of threats.

In siege warfare, siege engines are made to dismantle or go through strong defenses.

The selling and production of weapons are both part of the global arms industry. It comprises of a business sector engaged in the engineering, production, and maintenance of military installations, equipment, and materials. For the purpose of supplying their own armed forces, many industrialized nations have domestic arms industries. Some of these nations also engage in significant trade in guns used by their own citizens for self-defense, hunting, or recreational activities.

Governments award contracts to supply a nation's military, making arms deals of enormous political significance. Politics and the arms trade are often intertwined, which can lead to the growth of a military-industrial complex where the armed forces, industry, and politics are all closely entwined.

The volume of foreign transfers of significant weapons in 2010–14 was 16% greater than in 2005–2009, according to research institute SIPRI, Numerous weapons are produced, owned, traded, and used under strict regulations. This could be a part of a global treaty, local or central government policy, or both. Some examples of these controls are:

the ability to defend oneself

Knife legislation

Air gun laws

Gun law

Arms trafficking laws

Arms control treaties

Space Preservation Treaty

Every nation has rules and regulations governing various things, including the production, sale, transfer, possession, modification, and use of small guns by civilians.

Countries that regulate gun access would normally limit access to specific types of firearms and then restrict the types of people who are eligible to receive a license for such access. Hunting, sport shooting (often known as target shooting), self-defense, collecting, and concealed carry may all require individual licenses with unique requirements, permissions, and obligations.

Weapons development, manufacture, stockpiling, dissemination, and use—from small arms and heavy weapons to weapons of mass destruction—are all subject to international laws and accords. Although it can also involve efforts by a nation or group of states to impose restrictions upon a non-consenting country, arms control is normally carried out through the use of diplomacy to strive to impose such limitations upon consenting players.

Trafficking in illegal arms and ammunition is referred to as arms trafficking. Depending on municipal and federal legislation, there are many variations in what constitutes legal trading in weapons.

There are several concerns regarding the potential long-term dangers from deployed weapons, secure weapon storage, and eventual disposal of weapons when no longer useful or safe.

Unused weapons including bombs, ordnance, landmines, and