Military Weapons of War

There is no argument that the United States Military is the most powerful military in the World. We have achieved a level of technology in military weapons and equipment that no other nation on earth comes close to.

So, what weapons and equipment is available to our military service members in times of war and conflict? This series will describe some of the main weapons and equipment items used by our members. It would take a very large book to thoroughly discuss all of the weapons and equipment used by the United States Military today, and I won't even try. This series will try to cover the highlights, starting with some of the main weapons and equipment used by the Infantry and Special Operations Units. In future parts of this series, I'll cover military vehicles, including tanks and armor, missiles and artillery, military aircraft, and military ships and submarines.

M16A2 Rifle.

The M16A2 is the standard issue rifle. It's carried by pretty much every soldier in a combat zone. Most people simply call it the M-16. The M-16 has been around in one version or another since the Vietnam war (the first version, the M16A1 entered Army service in 1964). It's longevity is creditable to its usefulness as a general assault weapon. It's quite simply one of the finest military rifles ever made (although advocates of the M-4 Carbine may argue with me). The rifle is lightweight, simple to operate, and puts out a lot of lead.

M-4 Carbine

The M-4 combat assault rifle first entered Army service in 1997. The rifle is the standard weapon used by some Army units such as the 82nd Airborne Division and special operations units, such as Army Rangers.

M-24 Sniper Weapon

The M24 Sniper's Weapon System (SWS) represents a return to bolt action sniper rifles by the US Army. The rifle entered Army service in 1998. The M24 uses the Remington 700 action, although the receiver has been made for adaptation to take the .300 Winchester Magnum round. The stock (HS Precision) is made of a composite of Kevlar, graphite and fiberglass bound together with epoxy resins, and features aluminum bedding block and adjustable butt plate. A detachable bipod (Harris) can be attached to the stock's fore-end.

Kargil War

The Kargil War, also known as the Kargil conflict,(I) was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir. The cause of the war was the infiltration of Pakistani soldiers and Kashmiri militants into positions on the Indian side of the Line of Control, which serves as the de facto border between the two states. During and directly after the war, Pakistan blamed the fighting entirely on independent Kashmiri insurgents, but documents left behind by casualties and later statements by Pakistan's Prime Minister and Chief of Army Staff showed involvement of Pakistani paramilitary forces. The Indian Army, supported by the Indian Air Force, attacked the Pakistani positions and, with international diplomatic support, eventually forced a Pakistani withdrawal across the Line of Control (LoC).

The war is one of the most recent examples of high altitude warfare in mountainous terrain, and posed significant logistical problems for the combating sides. This was the first direct ground war between any two countries after they had developed nuclear weapons. (India and Pakistan both test-detonated fission devices in May 1998, though the first Indian nuclear test was conducted in 1974.) The conflict led to heightened tension between the two nations and increased defence spending on the part of India. In Pakistan, the aftermath caused instability to the government and the economy, and, on October 12, 1999, a coup d'etat by the military placed army chief Pervez Musharraf in power.

Kargil War

The Kargil War, also known as the Kargil conflict,(I) was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir. The cause of the war was the infiltration of Pakistani soldiers and Kashmiri militants into positions on the Indian side of the Line of Control, which serves as the de facto border between the two states. During and directly after the war, Pakistan blamed the fighting entirely on independent Kashmiri insurgents, but documents left behind by casualties and later statements by Pakistan's Prime Minister and Chief of Army Staff showed involvement of Pakistani paramilitary forces. The Indian Army, supported by the Indian Air Force, attacked the Pakistani positions and, with international diplomatic support, eventually forced a Pakistani withdrawal across the Line of Control (LoC).

The war is one of the most recent examples of high altitude warfare in mountainous terrain, and posed significant logistical problems for the combating sides. This was the first direct ground war between any two countries after they had developed nuclear weapons. (India and Pakistan both test-detonated fission devices in May 1998, though the first Indian nuclear test was conducted in 1974.) The conflict led to heightened tension between the two nations and increased defence spending on the part of India. In Pakistan, the aftermath caused instability to the government and the economy, and, on October 12, 1999, a coup d'etat by the military placed army chief Pervez Musharraf in power.

WOMEN IN THE INDIAN ARMY

Pallu (Rajasthan), May 3: Two women officers of the Indian Army say they are very happy to be serving in uniform and acquiring financial independence and that the majority of women in service - nearly 1,500 - share their views. "I fit in as well as any other officer," Captain Manul Singh, the only woman officer to have served in the Siachen Glacier, a battleground between Indian and Pakistani troops for over decades in the snow-bound Himalayas, said. "The army has made me financially independent," Lieutenant Ramandeep, who uses only one name, maintained. The two officers were speaking here on the sidelines of a war game here after being felicitated by Indian Army Chief, General JJ Singh, for their sporting achievements. Pallu is located some 400 km from the Rajasthani capital of Jaipur. Captain Manul Singh is a national-level skier, while Lieutenant Ramandeep has performed creditably on the shooting ranges and has even represented the country abroad.

"Today, what I am is because of what the army has made me," declared Lieutenant Ramandeep, who belongs to the Army Ordnance Corps (AOC) and represented India at the World Shooting Championships in Norway in 2006. Fifty countries participated in the event. "The army has definitely made a difference to my life. It has made me financially independent," she added. "The army has given me a lot of exposure which would not have happened had I been in any other place," said Lieutenant Ramandeep, who belongs to Jalandhar in Punjab and was inducted as a Short Service Commission (SSC) officer from Chennai's Officer's Training Academy (OTA) in 2005. Two months later, she volunteered for an army inter-command trial and was selected for further training in the 25 meters sports pistol event at the Army Marksmanship School at Mhow, Madhya Pradesh. This helped her prepare for the Norway championships. As for interacting with male colleagues, she said she had no complaints. "I receive respect in equal measure as an officer and a lady. I'm happy about that," she added.

Captain Manul Singh won a silver medal at the National Alpine Skiing Championships earlier this year. She was also the first reserve for the Asian Skiing Championships in China in January-February. "It is very satisfying to be in the army. I have got the kind of exposure I might never have otherwise got," she maintained. Captain Singh belongs to Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh. She was commissioned as an SSC officer from the OTA and was assigned the Army Service Corps (ASC). She volunteered for a skiing course at the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS) at Manali in Himachal Pradesh, one of 25 women officers to do so. She was the only one to be selected after a vigorous screening test that lasted a month. "Skiing is one of the most expensive sports. It also requires high levels of physical fitness. In both cases, the army has been a great mentor," Captain Singh maintained. Did she feel uncomfortable serving in a largely male-dominated army? "Not at all. I fit in as well as any other officer," she retorted. Both maintained that the majority of women officers in uniform shared their views.

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