Pentagon Fact Files

Weapons used by the military range from the hand held to warships, warplanes, and launch vehicles. While the list of weapons is basicaly endless, we have tried to categorize the types of weapons available to a modern day fighting force, with the intent to give the reader a feeling for the range and diversity. Note however that open source information on weapons is known to be victim of disinformation, so bear this in mind when reviewing specifications. With that said, here are the categories for weapon types:

Traditional Weapons

• Small Semi-Automatic Handguns
• Large Semi-Automatic Handguns
• Military Conventional Weapons (armored vehicles, etc.)
• Missiles
• Military Aircraft
• Naval Warships
• Reconnaissance
• Explosives  (8/11/2005)
  

• New Weapons
  
• August 2007
  
• April 2007
• March 2007
• U.S. Anti-Satellite Systems (2/23/2008)
  
• Beam Weapons (Directed Energy, Lasers) Updated: 03/02/2007  (also see Weapons for the 25th Century)
• Chemical and Biological Weapons
• EMP Weapons (also see Weapons for the 25th Century)
• Kinetic Weapons (high speed rockets and rail guns), (also see Weapons for the 25th Century)
• Nuclear Weapons
• Radioactive Dispersal Weapons (Dirty Bombs)
  
• Space Based Weapons (also see Weapons for the 25th Century)
• Stealth: What is it and how does it work?
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
• Weapons for the 25th Century
• SENSORS:  Detecting NBC Weapons
  

1. AF Vision 2025 White Papers, Directed Energy Weapons, Naval Postgraduate School, undated
2. Hit 'em Where It Hurts: Strategic Attack in 2025, (PDF 617KB) Air University White Paper submitted to Vision 2025 (MILNET Mirror)
   
3. Through the Looking Glass, Global Area Strike System (PDF 767KB), Air University White Paper submitted to Vision 2025, (MILNET Mirror)
   
4. A Hypersonic Attack Platform: The S3 Concept, Air University White Paper submitted to Vision 2025, 8/1996 (MILNET Mirror)
5. Star Tek:  Exploiting the Final Frontier - Counterspace Operations in 2025, (PDF 863KB) Air University White Paper submitted to Vision 2025
   
6. U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense Office / Missile Defense Agency
7. Nuke Detectors to Ring New York City, Official Says, CNN, 02/09/07
   

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