A weapon is an instrument used for the purpose of causing harm or damage to persons, animals or structures. Weapons are used in hunting Hunting is the practice of pursuing living animals for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law. The species which are hunted are referred to as game and are usually mammals and, attack, self-defense Self-defense or self-defence is a countermeasure that involves defending oneself, one's property or the well-being of another from physical harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in times of danger is available in many jurisdictions, but the interpretation varies widely. To be acquitted of any kind, or defense in combat Combat, or fighting, is purposeful violent conflict meant to establish dominance over the opposition and range from simple implements like clubs A club is among the simplest of all weapons. A club is essentially a short staff, or stick, usually made of wood, and wielded as a weapon and spears A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a sharpened head. The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with bamboo spears, or it may be of another material fastened to the shaft, such as obsidian, iron, or bronze. The most common design is of a metal spearhead, shaped like a triangle or to complicated modern machines such as intercontinental ballistic missiles An intercontinental ballistic missile is a ballistic missile with a long range (greater than 5,500 km or 3,500 miles) typically designed for nuclear weapons delivery (delivering one or more nuclear warheads). Due to their great range and firepower, in an all-out nuclear war, land-based and submarine-based ballistic missiles would carry most of the. One who possesses or carries a weapon is said to be armed.

In a broader context weapons include anything used to gain an advantage over an adversary or to place them at a disadvantage. Examples include the use of sieges A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static defensive position. Consequently, an opportunity, tactics Military tactics, the art of organizing an army, are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. Changes in philosophy and technology over time have been reflected in changes to military tactics, and psychological weapons Psychological warfare , or the basic aspects of modern psychological operations (PSYOP), have been known by many other names or terms, including Psy Ops, Political Warfare, “Hearts and Minds,” and Propaganda. Various techniques are used, by any set of groups, and aimed to influence a target audience's value systems, belief systems, emotions, which reduce the morale Morale, also known as esprit de corps when discussing the morale of a group, is an intangible term used for the capacity of people to maintain belief in an institution or a goal, or even in oneself and others. The second term applies particularly to military personnel and to members of sports teams, but is also applicable in business and in any of an enemy.

History

Prehistoric

Very simple weapon use has been observed among chimpanzees The Common Chimpanzee , also known as the Robust Chimpanzee, is a great ape. The name troglodytes, Greek for 'cave-dweller', was coined by Johann Friedrich Blumenbach in his Handbuch der Naturgeschichte (Handbook of Natural History) published in 1779. Colloquially, it is often called the chimpanzee (or simply 'chimp'), though technically this term,^[1] leading to speculation that early hominids The Hominidae form a taxonomic family, including four extant genera: chimpanzees, gorillas, humans, and orangutans began their first use of weapons as early as five million years ago.^[2] These would have been wooden clubs, spears, and unshaped stones—none of which would leave an unambiguous record.

The earliest unambiguous weapons are:

• Eight wooden throwing spears, the Schöninger Speere, dated to around 400,000 years old.^[3]
• By 250,000 years ago wooden spears were made with fire-hardened points^{[citation needed]}
• The oldest atlatl An atlatl or spear-thrower is a tool that uses leverage to achieve greater velocity in dart-throwing, and includes a bearing surface which allows the user to temporarily store energy during the throw. It consists of a shaft with a cup or a spur, which may be integrated into the weapon or made separately and attached, in which the butt of the dates back to 27,000 years ago^{[citation needed]}.
• Throwing sticks are also some of the earliest types of weapons.

Ancient and classical

Ancient weapons Categories: Ancient Roman military technology | Ancient weapons | Lists of weapons were evolutionary improvements of late neolithic The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BCE in the Middle East that is traditionally considered the last part of the Stone Age. The Neolithic followed the terminal Holocene Epipalaeolithic period, beginning with the rise of farming, which produced the " implements, but then significant improvements in materials and crafting techniques created a series of revolutions in military technology Military technology a broad concept that deals with a range of systems which is distinctly not civilian in application. It is distinctly military in nature usually due to being either impractical in application, or dangerous in use without appropriate military training. It is common for the technology to have been developed specifically for use by:

The development of metal tools, beginning with copper Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (Latin: cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is rather soft and malleable, and a freshly exposed surface has a pinkish or peachy color. It is used as a thermal conductor, an electrical conductor, a building material, and a during the Copper Age The Chalcolithic period or Copper Age period, also known as the Eneolithic/Æneolithic (from Latin aeneus "of bronze"), is a phase in the development of human culture in which the use of early metal tools appeared alongside the use of stone tools (about 3,300 BC) and followed shortly by bronze The Bronze Age of a culture is the period when the most advanced metalworking in that culture used bronze. This could either have been based on the local smelting of copper and tin from ores, or trading for bronze from production areas elsewhere. Many, though not all, Bronze Age cultures flourished in prehistory led to the Bronze Age sword Bronze Age swords appear from around the 17th century BC , evolving out of the dagger. Before bronze, stone (flint, obsidian f.e.) was used as primary material for cutting edged tools and weapons. Stone is however very fragile, and therefore not practical to be used as swords. With the introduction of copper, and eventually bronze, the daggers and similar weapons.

The first defensive structures and fortifications Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs. The term is derived from the Latin fortis and facere ("to make") appeared in the Bronze Age.^[4] Indicating an increased need for security. Weapons designed to breach fortifications followed soon after, for example the battering ram A battering ram is a siege engine originating in ancient times to break open fortification walls or doors was in use by 2500 BC. ^[4]

Although early Iron Age swords Swords made of iron appear from the Early Iron Age (ca. 12th century BC), but do not become widespread before the 8th century BC were not superior to their bronze predecessors, once iron-working The history of ferrous metallurgy began far back in prehistory. The earliest surviving iron artefacts, from the 5th millennium BC in Iran and 2nd millennium BC in China, were made from meteoritic iron-nickel. It is not known when or where the smelting of iron from ores began, but by the end of the 2nd millennium BC iron was being produced that way developed - around 1200 BC in Sub-Saharan Africa,^[5] iron began to be used widely in weapon production^[6] because iron ore Iron ores are rocks and minerals from which metallic iron can be economically extracted. The ores are usually rich in iron oxides and vary in color from dark grey, bright yellow, deep purple, to rusty red. The iron itself is usually found in the form of magnetite , hematite (Fe2O3), goethite (FeO(OH)), limonite (FeO(OH).n(H2O)) or siderite (FeCO3) was much more readily available than the copper Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (Latin: cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is rather soft and malleable, and a freshly exposed surface has a pinkish or peachy color. It is used as a thermal conductor, an electrical conductor, a building material, and a and tin Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead, like the two possible oxidation states +2 and +4. Tin is the 49th most abundant element and has, with 10 stable isotopes, the largest required to create bronze Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive, but sometimes with other elements such as phosphorus, manganese, aluminium, or silicon. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, giving its name to the Bronze Age. The word Bronze is believed to be cognate with the.

Cavalry Cavalry , were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest (after infantry and chariotry) and the most mobile of the combat arms. A soldier in the cavalry is known by a number of designations such as cavalryman or trooper developed once horses were bred to support the weight of a man . The horse extended the range and increased the speed of attack, but was not a weapon as much as it provided an enhanced capability.

Domestication of the horse There are a number of hypotheses on many of the key issues regarding the domestication of the horse. Although horses appeared in Paleolithic cave art as early as 30,000 BCE, these were truly wild horses and were probably hunted for meat. How and when horses became domesticated is disputed. The clearest evidence of early use of the horse as a means and widespread use of spoked A spoke is one of some number of rods radiating from the center of a wheel , connecting the hub with the round traction surface wheels by ca. 2000 BC,^[7] led to the light, horse-drawn chariot The chariot is the earliest and simplest type of horse carriage, used in both peace and war as the chief vehicle of many ancient peoples. Ox carts, proto-chariots, were built in Mesopotamia as early as 3000 BC. The original horse chariot was a fast, light, open, two or four-wheeled conveyance drawn by two or more horses hitched side by side. The. The mobility provided by chariots were important during this era.^{[citation needed]} Spoke-wheeled chariot usage peaked around 1300 BC and then declined, ceasing to be militarily relevant by the 4th century BC.^[8]

Ships built as weapons or warships A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for combat. Warships are usually built in a completely different way than merchant ships. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and more maneuverable than merchant ships. Unlike a merchant ship, a warship typically only carries weapons, such as the Triremes The trireme is a class of warship used by the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean, especially the Phoenicians, ancient Greeks and Romans. In English, no differentiation is made between the Greek triērēs and the Latin triremis. This is sometimes a source of confusion, as in other languages these terms refer to different styles of ships were in use by the 7th century BC.^[9] These ships were eventually replaced by larger ships by the 4th century BC.

Tactics and organization

As technology advanced, so did the level of organization of peoples eventually leading to the development of empires and armies. Professional armies allowed aggressive, militaristic states A sovereign state is a political association with effective internal and external sovereignty over a geographic area and population which is not dependent on, or subject to any other power or state. While in abstract terms a sovereign state can exist without being recognised by other sovereign states, unrecognised states will often find it hard to to emerge.

While early Greek armies focused on physical training and individual ability, a key advancement of the Roman army The Roman army is the generic term for the terrestrial armed forces deployed by the kingdom of Rome (to ca. 500 BC), the Roman Republic (500-31 BC), the Roman Empire (31 BC - AD 476) and its successor, the Byzantine empire (476-1453). It is thus a term that spans approximately 2,000 years, during which the Roman armed forces underwent numerous was the development complex tactics used to gain additional advantage over their enemies.^[10]

Middle Ages

European Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus region (Specification of borders) and the Black Sea to the southeast. Europe is bordered by the warfare during the middle ages The Middle Ages is a period of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The period followed the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476, and preceded the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period in a three-period division of history: Classical, Medieval, and Modern. The term "Middle Ages" (medium aevum) was coined in was dominated by elite groups of knights A knight was a member of the warrior class of the Middle Ages in Europe who followed a code of law called "chivalry". In other Indo-European languages, cognates of cavalier or rider are more prevalent suggesting a connection to the knight's mode of transport. Since antiquity a position of honour and prestige has been held by mounted supported by massed infantry Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies. Infantry units have more physically demanding training than other branches of armies, (both in combat and ranged roles). They were involved in mobile combat and sieges A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static defensive position. Consequently, an opportunity which involved various siege weapons and tactics. Knights on horseback developed tactics for charging with lances providing an impact on the enemy formations and then drawing more practical weapons (such as swords) once they entered into the melee. Whereas infantry, in the age before structured formations, relied on cheap, sturdy weapons such as spears and billhooks in close combat and bows from a distance. As armies became more professional their equipment was standardized and infantry transitioned to pikes in conjunction with smaller side-arms (short sword).

In Eastern and Middle Eastern warfare similar tactics were developed independent of European influences.

The introduction of gunpowder from the Far East at the end of this period revolutionized warfare. Formations of musketeers, protected by pikemen came to dominate open battles, and the cannon replaced the trebuchet as the dominant siege weapon.

Early modern

The European Renaissance marked the beginning of the implementation of firearms in western warfare. Guns and rockets were introduced to the battlefield.

Firearms are qualitatively different from earlier weapons because they release energy from combustible propellants such as gunpowder, rather than from a counter-weight or spring. This energy is released very rapidly and can be replicated without much effort by the user. Therefore even early firearms such as the arquebus were much more powerful than human-powered weapons. Firearms became increasingly important and effective during the 16th century to 19th century, with progressive improvements in ignition mechanisms followed by revolutionary changes in ammunition handling and propellant. During the U.S. Civil War various technologies including the machine gun and ironclad warship emerged that would be recognizable and useful military weapons today, particularly in limited conflicts. In the 19th century warship propulsion changed from sail power to fossil fuel-powered steam engines.

The age of edged weapons ended abruptly just before World War I with rifled artillery. Howitzers were able to destroy masonry fortresses and other fortifications. This single invention caused a Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA) and established tactics and doctrine that are still in use today. See Technology during World War I for a detailed discussion.

An important feature of industrial age warfare was technological escalation - innovations were rapidly matched through replication or countered by yet another innovation. The technological escalation during World War I (WW I) was profound, producing armed aircraft and tanks.

This continued in the inter-war period (between WW I and WW II) with continuous evolution of all weapon systems by all major industrial powers. Many modern military weapons, particularly ground-based ones, are relatively minor improvements of weapon systems developed during World War II. See military technology during World War II for a detailed discussion.

Modern

Since the mid-18th century North American French-Indian war through the beginning of the 20th century, human-powered weapons were reduced from the primary weaponry of the battlefield yielding to gunpowder-based weaponry. Sometimes referred to as the "Age of Rifles",^[11] this period was characterized by the development of firearms for infantry and cannons for support, as well as the beginnings of mechanized weapons such as the machine gun, the tank and above all the wide introduction of aircraft into warfare, including naval warfare with the introduction of the aircraft carriers.

World War I marked the entry of fully industrialized warfare as well as weapons of mass destruction (e.g. chemical and biological), and weapons were developed quickly to meet wartime needs. Above all it promised to the military commanders the independence from the horse and the resurgence in maneuver warfare through extensive use of motor vehicles. The changes that these military technologies underwent before and during the Second World War were evolutionary, but defined the development for the rest of the century.

World War II however, perhaps marked the most frantic period of weapons development in the history of humanity. Massive numbers of new designs and concepts were fielded, and all existing technologies were improved between 1939 and 1945. The most powerful weapon invented during this period was the atomic bomb, however many more weapons influenced the world in different ways.

Since World War II

After World War II and with the onset of the Cold War, constant technological advancement of weapons was institutionalized. Countries engaged in a competitive race to develop more lethal weapons and counter-weapons. This arms race has continued into the current era and remains a drain on the resources of most nations.

Notable development in weaponry since World War II has been the combination and further development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. Resulting in the development of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The Cold War race for larger and more effective weapons lead to the refinement of the atomic weapons (hydrogen bomb) and multiple warhead missiles. The mutual possession of ICBMs by the United States and the Soviet Union created an environment of mutually assured destruction (see below). The indiscriminate nature of the destruction has made nuclear-tipped missiles essentially useless for the smaller wars fought since.

However computer-guided weaponry of all kinds, from precision-guided munitions (or "smart bombs") to computer-aimed tank rounds, have greatly increased weaponry's accuracy. Being able to prepare, maneuver and attack before the enemy can detect the threat and respond can provide a decisive advantage. The element of surprise has long been recognized as a tactical advantage. Modern technology has increased this though sophisticated night vision technology allowing maneuvering and engagement at night when the enemy, not as well equipped, has limited visibility. Advanced technological surveillance and intelligence gathering methods through the use of unmanned aerial vehicles is a benefit to prevent surprise and identify targets.

Coordination of forces is necessary in order to control disparate forces effectively. Modern communications, if unjammed and not intercepted are a substantial advantage. Once targets or strategic objectives are identified it is necessary to prepare detailed plans for individual forces to follow. This can be a time consuming process that modern armies are using computers to overcome. Successful integration of automated planning can result in more responsive use of existing weapons platforms against the enemy.^{[citation needed]}

Cyberwarfare is an emerging weapon that recognizes the vulnerabilities of enemy infrastructure, intelligence apparatus, and communications systems and provides from their disruption.

Nuclear age and beyond

Since the realization of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD), the nuclear option of all-out war is no longer considered a survivable scenario. During the Cold War in the years following World War II, both the United States and the former Soviet Union engaged in a nuclear arms race. Each country and their allied blocks continually attempted to out-develop each other in the field of nuclear armaments. Once the joint technological capabilities reached the point of being able to ensure the destruction of the entire planet (see Mutually Assured Destruction) then a new tactic had to be developed. With this realization, armaments development funding shifted back to primarily sponsoring the development of conventional arms technologies for support of limited wars rather than nuclear war.^[12]

Classification

By user

- what person or unit uses the weapon

• Personal weapons (or small arms) - designed to be used by a single person.
• Hunting weapon - primarily for hunting game animals for food or sport
• Infantry support weapons - larger than personal weapons, requiring two or more to operate correctly.
• Fortification weapons - mounted in a permanent installation, or used primarily within a fortification.
• Mountain weapons - for use by mountain forces or those operating in difficult terrain.
• Vehicle weapons - to be mounted on any type of military vehicle.
• Railway weapons - designed to be mounted on railway cars, including armored trains.
• Aircraft weapons - carried on and used by some type of aircraft, helicopter, or other aerial vehicle.
• Naval weapons - mounted on ships and submarines.
• Space weapons - are designed to be used in or launched from space.

By function

- the construction of the weapon and principle of operation

• Antimatter weapons (theoretical) would combine matter and antimatter to cause a powerful explosion.
• Archery weapons operate by using a tensioned string to launch a projectile.
• Artillery are capable of launching heavy projectiles over long distances.
• Biological weapons spread biological agents, causing disease or infection.
• Chemical weapons, poisoning and causing reactions.
• Energy weapons rely on concentrating forms of energy to attack, such as lasers or sonic attack.
• Explosive weapons use a physical explosion to create blast concussion or spread shrapnel.
• Firearms use a chemical charge to launch projectiles.
• Improvised weapons are common objects, reused as weapons.
• Incendiary weapons cause damage by fire.
• Non-lethal weapons are designed to subdue without killing.
• Magnetic weapons use magnetic fields to propel projectiles, or to focus particle beams.
• Mêlée weapons operate as physical extensions of the user's body and directly impact their target.
• Missiles are rockets which are guided to their target after launch. (Also a general term for projectile weapons).
• Nuclear weapons use radioactive materials to create nuclear fission and/or nuclear fusion detonations.
• Primitive weapons make little or no use of technological or industrial elements.
• Ranged weapons (unlike Mêlée weapons), target a distant object or person.
• Rockets use chemical propellant to accelerate a projectile
• Suicide weapons exploit the willingness of their operator to not survive the attack.
• Trojan weapons appear on face value to be gifts, though the intent is to in some way to harm the recipient.

By target

- the type of target the weapon is designed to attack

• Anti-aircraft weapons target missiles and aerial vehicles in flight.
• Anti-fortification weapons are designed to target enemy installations.
• Anti-personnel weapons are designed to attack people, either individually or in numbers.
• Anti-radiation weapons target sources of electronic radiation, particularly radar emitters.
• Anti-satellite weapons target orbiting satellites.
• Anti-ship weapons target ships and vessels on water.
• Anti-submarine weapons target submarines and other underwater targets.
• Anti-tank weapons are designed to defeat armored targets.
• Area denial weapons target territory, making it unsafe or unsuitable for enemy use or travel.
• Hunting weapons are civilian weapons used to hunt animals.
• Infantry support weapons are designed to attack various threats to infantry units.

See also

• Arms trade
• History of Weapons
• List of lists of weapons
• List of martial arts weapons
• List of practice weapons
• Riot control agent
• Toy weapons
• Weapon mount
• Weapons engineering
• Weapons of mass destruction

References

1. ^ Jill D. Pruetz1 and Paco Bertolani, Savanna Chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes verus, Hunt with Tools", Current Biology, March 6, 2007
2. ^ Rick Weiss, "Chimps Observed Making Their Own Weapons", The Washington Post, February 22, 2007
3. ^ Lower Palaeolithic hunting spears from Germany. Hartmut Thieme. Letters to Nature. Nature 385, 807 - 810 (27 February 1997); doi:10.1038/385807a0, Nature.com
4. ^ ^{a b} Gabriel, Richard A.; Metz, Karen S.. "A Short History of War". http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/gabrmetz/gabr0001.htm. Retrieved 2010-01-08.
5. ^ Duncan E. Miller and N.J. Van Der Merwe, 'Early Metal Working in Sub Saharan Africa' Journal of African History 35 (1994) 1-36; Minze Stuiver and N.J. Van Der Merwe, 'Radiocarbon Chronology of the Iron Age in Sub-Saharan Africa' Current Anthropology 1968.
6. ^ Gabriel, Richard A.; Metz, Karen S.. "A Short History of War - Iron Age Revolution". http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/gabrmetz/gabr0001.htm. Retrieved 2010-01-08.
7. ^ Bookrags.com
8. ^ ABC.net.au
9. ^ Mlahanas.de
10. ^ Gabriel, Richard A.; Metz, Karen S.. "A Short History of War - Training". http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/gabrmetz/gabr0010.htm. Retrieved 2010-01-08.
11. ^ p.263, Hind
12. ^ "Funding for new nuclear weapons programs eliminated". 2004. http://www.ploughshares.ca/libraries/monitor/mond04f.htm. Retrieved 2010-03-14. Report on congressional refusal to fund additional nuclear weapons research.

Further reading

• U.S.Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, Improving the prospects for future international peace operations: workshop proceedings, OTA-BP-ISS-167, Washington DC, US Government Printing Office, September 1995
• Hind, Edward, My Magazine: Being a Series of Poems, Tales, Sketches, Essays, Orations, Etc.,: The Present Age - An oration J. and H. Clarke, London, 1860

External links

• Higgins Armory Museum
• Modern Firearms Encyclopedia
• Society of the Military Horse
• Pentagon plans cyber-insect army
• Weapon Systems
• Antique firearms
• Gladius Scholarly journal on Ancient and Medieval Weapons
• Modern Military Weapons

Categories: Military equipment | Security | Weapons

See Also:

What Links Here:

Recently Viewed Pages:

• Home
• Industrial Arts: News
• Structural Drawing: Blogs
• AutoLISP: Blogs
• Composition
• Electrical Drawing: Blogs
• Sitemap
• Technical Drawing: Encyclopedia
• Interior Designer: Encyclopedia
• Graphic Communication: Encyclopedia

Most Popular Pages:

• Registered Trademarks
• AutoLISP: Blogs
• Computers: CAD and CAM: Drawing Exchange and Interoperability: Registered Trademarks
• Dashboard: Blogs
• Drafting: News
• Electrical Drawing: Blogs
• Bullet Graph: Blogs
• Product (Business): Blogs
• Information Graphics: Blogs
• Map: Blogs

Related 'Weapon' Searches: