Weapons | War History

M72 LAW: The Vietnam-Era Anti-Tank Weapon That Continues to See Service Today

Ryan McLachlan
American soldier firing an M72 LAW

In the Dirty Harry movie, The Enforcer (1976), the filmmakers needed to find a more powerful weapon than Harry Callahan’s Smith & Wesson Model 29.…

Russia Allegedly Develops ‘Hibernating’ Drones That Can ‘Sleep’ for Weeks Before Attacking

Ukrainian military officials standing with Russian drones

After two years of working alongside the Russian Ministry of Defence, a tech firm has reportedly developed a drone – known as the “Joker FPV”…

The US Has Officially Destroyed the Last of Its Chemical Weapons Stockpile

Two workers walking through a room stocked with M55 rockets

Closing a chapter that dates back to the First World War, the US has declared that the last of its chemical weapons stores have been…

Benelli M4: The Superior Semi-Automatic Shotgun Built Specifically For Combat

US Marine holding a Benelli M1014

Produced by Italian firearms manufacturer Benelli Armi SpA, the M4 semi-automatic shotgun is the fourth and final model of the Super 90 line. Built for…

The US Navy Considered Arming Frigates with Mk 48 Torpedoes During the Cold War

Two technicians standing around a Mk 48 torpedo + USS Bradley (FF-1041) underway at sea

On January 17, 1955, the USS Nautilus (SSN-571) radioed the historic message, “Underway on nuclear power.” This was the foundation of a new era that…

Leichtgeschütz 40: Germany’s Powerful World War II-Era Recoilless Gun

10.5 cm Leichtgeschütz 40 placed near a wall

The Leichtgeschütz 40 (LG 40) was a German recoilless gun that saw service during the Second World War. The Wehrmacht first used the weapon during…

M20 Recoilless Rifle: While Not Effective Against Tanks, It Obliterated Enemy Pillboxes

US Army soldier firing an M20 Recoilless Rifle while others cover their ears

The M20 recoilless rifle saw limited service at the end of World War II and was used extensively in Korea. It was only capable of…

Panzerbüchse 39: The German ‘Tank Hunting Rifle’ That Saw Action In Poland and the USSR

German soldier aiming a Panzerbüchse 39 (PzB 39)

The Panzerbüchse 39 (PzB 39) was an anti-tank rifle operated by Wehrmacht during the Second World War. The PzB 39 saw use during the invasion…

A Gloster Meteor Once Deflected A V-1 Flying Bomb With Its Wing

Gloster Meteor in flight + V-1 flying bomb in flight

The V-1 flying bomb was an early cruise missile developed by Germany as part of its V-weapons (Vergeltungswaffen) program. Starting on June 13, 1944, V-1s…

Mk 47 Striker: The US Military’s Modern Automatic Grenade Launcher

Ryan McLachlan
Three US Army Special Forces members manning an Mk 47 Striker

The Mk 47 or Striker 40 – often called the Mk 47 Striker – is an American 40 mm advanced automatic grenade launcher. It was…

Sturmpistole: The German Handheld Grenade Launcher That Failed to Match More Powerful Anti-Tank Weaponry

German soldier aiming a Sturmpistole

The Sturmpistole was a multi-purpose weapon developed for the German Army during World War II. A modified flare gun, it was capable of firing a…

The M18 Recoilless Rifle Obliterated Enemy Machine Gun Nests In Korea

Group of men standing near an M18 recoilless rifle in the snow

The M18 is a 57 mm shoulder-fired, anti-tank recoilless rifle the US Army equipped troops with during the Second World War and in Korea. The…