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.