Weapons of the United States

Weapons of the United States
Name	Weapons of the United States
Caption	Emblems and representative systems from the United States Armed Forces
Origin	United States
Type	Combined arms weaponry and systems

Contents

Weapons of the United States The weapons deployed and produced by the United States span centuries of innovation, doctrine, and industrial mobilization, reflecting changes driven by conflicts such as the American Revolutionary War, American Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War (1990–1991), War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), and the Iraq War. Development and deployment have been shaped by institutions including the Department of Defense (United States), United States Congress, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, Department of the Navy (United States), and manufacturers such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, and Raytheon Technologies.

History and Development

U.S. weapons history links early artisanship from the Kentucky Rifle era through industrialization at firms like Remington Arms Company, Winchester Repeating Arms Company, and the Springfield Armory (United States) during the Industrial Revolution. Innovations in metallurgy and ballistics emerged alongside programs at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Naval Research Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories, while strategic shifts were influenced by doctrines from General George S. Patton, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, General Douglas MacArthur, and the Pentagon staff during the interwar period and World War II. Cold War dynamics with the Soviet Union prompted programs such as the Manhattan Project, Trident (ballistic missile), and the Intercontinental ballistic missile force, with oversight from the Strategic Air Command and treaties like the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. Post–Cold War modernization linked procurement reforms under the Goldwater–Nichols Act and defense acquisition influenced by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and commercial partnerships with Silicon Valley firms.

Infantry armaments include legacy and modern systems developed by designers and arsenals such as the Colt's Manufacturing Company, Fabrique Nationale de Herstal, and the H&K (Heckler & Koch) partnerships adopted by the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army, U.S. Special Operations Command, and U.S. Air Force. Standard-issue rifles and carbines—exemplified by the evolution from the M1 Garand to the M14 rifle, M16 rifle, M4 carbine, and recent evaluations of the Next Generation Squad Weapon—reflect testing at Aberdeen Proving Ground and doctrine informed by officers like General William T. Sherman and advisors within the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Sidearms such as the M1911 pistol and the adoption of the Beretta M9 and SIG Sauer P320 show procurement cycles involving Defense Logistics Agency, while support weapons including the M240 machine gun, M249 light machine gun, Mk 19 grenade launcher, and anti-armor systems like the AT4 and Javelin (missile) integrate training at Fort Benning and Fort Bragg. Specialized gear for units like Navy SEALs, Delta Force, and Army Rangers incorporates optics from Leupold & Stevens, thermal systems from FLIR Systems, and suppressors tested under programs run by Naval Surface Warfare Center.

U.S. indirect-fire capabilities evolved from coastal batteries and siege pieces to self-propelled howitzers such as the M109 Paladin and rocket artillery like the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System used by the U.S. Army Field Artillery Branch. Anti-aircraft and surface-to-air systems developed at Lockheed Martin and Raytheon include the MIM-104 Patriot and the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system deployed alongside NATO partners including United Kingdom and Germany. Theater strike and cruise missile programs such as the BGM-109 Tomahawk and strategic deterrents like the Minuteman III are linked to command structures at United States Strategic Command and production at Boeing Missile Defense Systems. Counter-battery and precision strike use sensors from National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and guidance suites from Honeywell International.

Armored forces range from historic designs like the M4 Sherman and M3 Lee of World War II to modern main battle tanks such as the M1 Abrams procured by the U.S. Army with powerplants from General Dynamics Land Systems and armor developments influenced by research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers include the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, Stryker (vehicle), and specialized engineering vehicles from Tucker Sno-Cat contractors and the Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center. Amphibious and expeditionary tracked vehicles for the U.S. Marine Corps complement ship-to-shore connectors like the Landing Craft Air Cushion and doctrine from Amphibious Warfare School.

U.S. naval armaments developed from frigates of the United States Navy through carrier aviation epitomized by the USS Enterprise (CVN-65) and supercarriers like the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier and Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier. Surface combatants field vertical launch systems for missiles such as the RIM-66 Standard and the RIM-174 Standard ERAM built by firms including General Dynamics and Huntington Ingalls Industries, while submarines—attack boats like the Los Angeles-class submarine and ballistic missile submarines like the Ohio-class submarine—carry strategic payloads and sonar suites developed with Naval Undersea Warfare Center. Naval aviation integrates weapons carried by platforms such as the F/A-18 Super Hornet, F-35 Lightning II, and anti-ship missiles like the Harpoon (missile).

Air and space systems include tactical fighters like the F-22 Raptor and F-16 Fighting Falcon, strategic bombers such as the B-52 Stratofortress, B-2 Spirit, and B-21 Raider, and unmanned systems exemplified by the MQ-9 Reaper and programs at Air Force Research Laboratory. Strategic deterrence relies on triad components coordinated by North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Strategic Command, integrating satellite constellations from National Reconnaissance Office and launch vehicles produced by United Launch Alliance and SpaceX. Air-launched munitions—[(AGM-86 ALCM)], precision-guided bombs like the GBU-12 Paveway II, and hypersonic research in programs with DARPA and Sandia National Laboratories—reflect collaborations with academic partners including Caltech and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Research and acquisition systems are governed by statutes and agencies such as the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arms Export Control Act, and oversight from the Government Accountability Office and Congressional Budget Office. Procurement reforms and programs like the Joint Strike Fighter program interface with contractors including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and international partners like Australia and United Kingdom under foreign military sales managed by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. Export controls and nonproliferation efforts coordinate with treaties such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, export licensing under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, and cooperative programs with organizations such as NATO and the United Nations to balance industrial base health, strategic alliance commitments, and arms control obligations.

Category:Military equipment of the United States