Photo study from the earliest types of the 1400s to the massive rail mounted guns of World War II.

Amply illustrated with pen & ink drawings, and including a glossary of key terms, this volume, originally published in 1955, traces the history of firearms and the pioneers who made that history, step by step, to the fringe of a complex modern science.

You don't need to be a trained soldier to fully appreciate this edition of the "U.S. Army Improvised Munitions Handbook" (TM 31-210). Originally created for soldiers in guerilla warfare situations, this handbook demonstrates the techniques for constructing weapons that are highly effective in the most harrowing of circumstances. Straightforward and incredibly user-friendly, it provides insightful information and step-by-step instructions on how to assemble weapons and explosives from common and readily available materials. Over 600 illustrations complement elaborate explanations of how to improvise any number of munitions from easily accessible resources. Whether you're a highly trained solider or simply a civilian looking to be prepared, the "U.S. Army Improvised Munitions Handbook" is an invaluable addition to your library.

This book covers the history of aircraft armament from the early days of World War I when aviators fired hand-held weapons at each other, through the airborne gun advancements during World War II, and finally up to the modern Gatling Guns of today. During the 1960s, aircraft guns would become a part of the helicopter mission, and these choppers would play an important role in Vietnam. Also during this period there would be three special "Gun Ships," where an airborne ground-attack system was designed around side-firing guns. The famous A-10 was designed around its forward-firing Gatling Gun. With the advent of new air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, there were those who thought that the day of the aircraft gun was over. In fact, the F-4 Phantom's early versions carried no guns. Experience showed, though, that they were still needed, and later aircraft types saw them returned. The current aircraft of the USAF and U.S. Navy - the F-15, F-16, F/A-18, and F-22 - all carry a rapid-fire Gatling Gun in addition to their missile loads.

First published in 1987, The Compendium of Armaments and Military Hardware provides, within a single volume, the salient technical and operational details of the most important weapons. The complete range of hardware used in land, sea and air forces throughout the world at the time of publication is covered, from tanks to rocket systems, helicopters to cruise missiles, alongside full details of size, weight and operational range. The book's main strength lies in the detail it gives of armament and associated ammunition capabilities, and of the sensors and other electronics required for the weapons to be used effectively. A key title amongst Routledge reference reissues, Christopher Chant's important work will be of great value to students and professionals requiring a comprehensive and accessible reference guide, as well as to weapons 'buffs'.

This is the absorbing story of the development, combat use and legacy of the influential sidearms used by the armed forces of the Soviet Union. Featuring archive and present-day photography and specially commissioned artwork, this is the story of the pistols that armed the forces of the Soviet Union and its allies during and after World War II. In 1930 the TT, a single-action semi-automatic pistol developed by Fedor Vasilyevich Tokarev and firing 7.62x25mm ammunition, began to supplement the venerable Nagant M1895 revolver in Soviet military service. From 1933 the TT-33, a simplified version, was also issued; all three would equip Soviet and proxy forces throughout and after World War II, seeing action across the globe. In 1951 a new pistol designed by Nikolay Fyodorovich Makarov entered Soviet service; it became the primary Soviet military and police sidearm during the Cold War era and continued in use into the 21st century. The 9x18mm Makarov round was used in various weapons used by Soviet allies, notably the Czech vz 82, the Hungarian FEG PA63 and the Polish P64 and P83.The PM was quickly joined by the Stechkin machine pistol. Other specialized versions of the Makarov were developed, including the PB suppressed version and the 5.45x18mm PSM, a more compact version. Initially developed in 1990, the improved PMM version of the Makarov was intended primarily to increase the stopping power of the 9x18mm round by chambering a higher-pressure load. In this study, noted weaponry expert Leroy Thompson tells the story of the Tokarev, Makarov, Stechkin and other handguns in service with Soviet and other forces around the world, exploring the development, combat use and legacy of these formidable firearms.

First published in 1987, The Compendium of Armaments and Military Hardware provides, within a single volume, the salient technical and operational details of the most important weapons. The complete range of hardware used in land, sea and air forces throughout the world at the time of publication is covered, from tanks to rocket systems, helicopters to cruise missiles, alongside full details of size, weight and operational range. The book's main strength lies in the detail it gives of armament and associated ammunition capabilities, and of the sensors and other electronics required for the weapons to be used effectively. A key title amongst Routledge reference reissues, Christopher Chant's important work will be of great value to students and professionals requiring a comprehensive and accessible reference guide, as well as to weapons 'buffs'.

Bullard Firearms is the story of a mechanical genius whose rifles and cartridges were the equal of any made in America in the 1880s, yet little of substance had been written about James H. Bullard or his arms prior to 1988, when the first edition, called Bullard Arms, was published.This much enlarged volume with over 1,000 black and white and 150 color plates, most not previously published, answers many of the questions posed in the first edition. The author hopes this book will continue on the path begun by the first edition and elevate the work and life of J.H. Bullard into the pantheon of extraordinary American gunmakers and inventors.

Stringent demands on modern guided weapon systems require new approaches to guidance, control, and estimation. There are requirements for pinpoint accuracy, low cost per round, easy upgrade paths, enhanced performance in counter-measure environments, and the ability to track low-observable targets. Advances in Missile Guidance, Control, and Estimation brings together in one volume the latest developments in the three major missile-control components-guidance, control, and estimation-as well as advice on implementation. It also shows how these elements contribute to the overall missile design process. Shares Insights from Well-Known Researchers and Engineers from Israel, Korea, France, Canada, the UK, and the US The book features contributions by renowned experts from government, the defense industry, and academia from the United States, Israel, Korea, Canada, France, and the United Kingdom. It starts from the ground up, developing equations of missile motion. It reviews the kinematics of the engagement and the dynamics of the target and missile before delving into autopilot design, guidance, estimation, and practical implementation issues. Covers Nonlinear Control Techniques as Well as Implementation Issues The book discusses the design of autopilots using new nonlinear theories and analyzes the performance over a flight envelope of Mach number and altitude. It also contains a chapter on the recent integrated-guidance-and-control approach, which exploits the synergy between the autopilot and guidance system design. The book then outlines techniques applied to the missile guidance problem, including classical guidance, sliding mode-based, and differential game-based techniques. A chapter on the use of differential games integrates the guidance law with the estimation of the target maneuver. A chapter on particle filter describes the latest development in filtering algorithms. The final chapters-written by engineers working in the defense industry in the US, Israel, and Canada-consider the design and implementation issues of a command-to-line-of-sight guidance system and autopilots. An Invaluable Resource on the State of the Art of Missile Guidance A guide to advanced topics in missile guidance, control, and estimation, this invaluable book combines state-of-the-art theoretical developments presented in a tutorial form and unique practical insights. It looks at how tracking, guidance, and autopilot algorithms integrate into a missile system and guides control system designers through the challenges of the design process.

Field gear and inert weapons and ordnance have long been popular items with militaria collectors. The Vietnam War by its very nature offers an incredible range and variety of these items for the interested collector. The North Vietnamese and their puppet troops of the National Liberation Front (Viet Cong or VC) relied primarily on communist allies (Russia, China, North Korea, Cuba and various Eastern Bloc countries of the era) for their weapons and field gear. For this reason, Vietnam represents a microcosm of gear from all of this century's wars, dating back to World War I, as well as a wide range of improvised weapons and equipment. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the variety of hand grenades used by the enemy, including Russian, Chinese, North Korean, Eastern European, French, Japanese and even modified, captured U.S. grenades. Although impossible to completely catalog the extreme variety of weapons and field gear used by the PAVN and VC, author Edward Emering has made a determined effort to present a wide overview of the weapons and field gear used from the late-1950s through the modern era. He has been aided in his goal by obtaining access to the world class collection of the National Vietnam Veterans Art Museum, located in Chicago, Illinois and by material from a number of extensive private collections. This book will help both the serious collector as well as those individuals interested in acquiring only a token piece of history to avoid potentially costly mistakes. A value guide is included.

The primary focus of this book is on the arms and armour of Europe, but also included are neighbouring cultures where these had a direct influence on developments and changes within Europe, from late Roman cavalry armour, Byzantium and the East, to the influence of the Golden Horde. A Companion to Medieval Arms and Armour covers the entire period from the fifth to the fifteenth century, a thousand years which saw huge changes in military technology in most of the world's major civilisations. Arms and armour in Europe are the principal focus of the studies, but those of neighbouring civilisations, including the Byzantine Empire, eastern Europe, the steppes and the Islamic world, are also investigated, both for the impact upon them of European technological developments, and for their influence upon developments within western Europe. Arms and armour in Europe developed dramatically during the thousand years from the fifth to the fifteenth century. During this broad sweep of time civilisations rose and fell and population movements swept from east to west, bringing in their wake advances and modifications absorbed and expanded by indigenous populations. So although the primary focus of this book is on the arms and armour of Europe, it also includes neighbouring cultures where these had a direct influence on developments and changes within Europe, from late Roman cavalry armour, Byzantium and the Eastto the influence of the Golden Horde. A truly impressive band of specialists cover issues ranging from the migrations to the first firearms, divided into three sections: From the Fall of Rome to the Eleventh Century, Emergence ofA European Tradition in the High Middle Ages, and New Influences and New Challenges of the Late Middle Ages; throughout there is particular emphasis on the social and technological aspects of medieval military affairs. Contributors: ANDREA BABUIN, JON COULSTON, TIM DAWSON, CLAUDE GAIER, MICHAEL GORELIK, JOHN HALDON, MARCO MORIN, HELMUT NICKEL, DAVID NICOLLE, EWART OAKESHOTT, ANNE PEDERSON, SHIHAB AL-SARRAF, ALAN WILLIAMS.

The name Kummersdorf is inextricably linked with a wide variety of German weapons, vehicles and equipment. Kummersdorf was involved in every stage of military technical development: research, development, testing and the mass employment of military technology.

The growing ubiquity of drones means that they are more readily available for both terrorists and civilians to use. At the same time, the military use of drones has globalised. Yet regulations for their international use, both military and domestic, are sparse and lacking in clarity, and most books on the legality of drones tend to be written by journalists or activists. Drones and the Law: International Responses to Rapid Drone Proliferation presents a fresh, scholarly perspective on the increasingly complex relations between drone usage and international and privacy law. Combining expert insights into strategy, international law, international humanitarian law, targeted killing, ethics, and privacy, Vivek Sehrawat offers an important historical and context for understanding how drone usage has become widespread; investigates how international law and international humanitarian law on the use of force interact with the rapid proliferation of military drones; and outlines how civilian use of drones poses specific challenges to national privacy laws in large countries such as the UK, the USA, and India. Throughout, Sehrawat discusses potential world policies for drone strikes and counter terrorism and debunks myths about current drone capabilities and the law regarding drone usage, making this book a useful and timely addition to the growing literature on drones and the law. For its rigorous legal research that offers a precise, accurate, and authoritative account of the legal challenges posed by rapid drone proliferation, Drones and the Law is a must-read for students and scholars of law and international relations.

A study of the Soviet and NATO armored forces that faced each other off in Central Europe in the early Cold War, and how their technology, tactics, and doctrine were all rapidly developed. For 45 years, the most disputed point in the World was the dividing line between East and West in Europe; here the use and development of tanks was key. In this fully illustrated study, author Steve Zaloga, describes how Soviet and NATO tanks were deployed in the early years of the Cold War, and how a generation of tanks such as the Soviet T-44/T-54 and IS-3, British Centurion, US Army M26/M46 Pershing (all developed during World War II) saw extensive service after the war had ended. Initial post-war generation tanks including the Soviet T-54A, T-10 heavy tank, British late-model Centurions, Conqueror, US Army M41, M47, M48 and the French AMX-13 are examined in detail alongside the most important technical trends of the era: the development of shaped-charge anti-tank projectiles, the influence of anti-tank missiles, and the introduction of chemical/nuclear protection and night fighting equipment. The book also considers the influence of post-war doctrine and tactics on tank technology and the effect of regional conflicts such as the 1950 Korean War, the war in Indo-China, and the 1956 Mid East War on tank warfare.

These essays explore the increase in interest in non-lethal weapons. Such devices have meant that many armed forces and law enforcement agencies are able to act against undesirables without being accused of acting in an inhumane way.
Topics for discussion in this volume include: an overview of the future of non-lethal weapons; emerging non-lethal technologies; military and police operational deployment of non-lethal weapons; a scientific evaluation of the effectiveness of non-lethal weapons; changes in international law needed to take into account non-lethal technologies; developments in genomics leading to new chemical incapacitants; implications for arms control and proliferation; the role of non-lethal weapons in human rights abuses; conceptual, theoretical and analytical perspectives on the nature of non-lethal weapons development.

This book is a reprint edition of the late John Laidacker's personal study of early .22 cartridge handguns from 1855-1875. Laidacker's primary aim was to offer a quick reference to the collector, and his commentary on the wide variety of types, variations and makers, as well as detailed photography, make this a superb addition to any firearm library.

This fully illustrated new book describes and analyses the weapons and equipment traditionally associated with the samurai, Japan's superlative warriors. It examines the range of weapons used by them at different times and in different situations. Beginning with the rise of the samurai during the 10th century, this lively study traces the introduction of edged weapons (cutting and piercing) and missile weapons (bows and guns) over the next 500 years. The book shows clearly how they were employed by individual samurai using many previously untranslated primary texts, and explains how their use spread more widely among low-class troops, pirates and rebels. It also shows how schools of martial arts took over and changed the weapons and their uses during the peaceful Edo Period (1615-1868).

Throughout history, states have tried to create the perfect combatant with superhuman physical and cognitive features that are akin to those of comic book superheroes. However, the current innovations have nothing to do with the ones from the past and their development goes beyond a simple technological perspective. On the contrary, they are raising the prospect of a human enhancement revolution that will change the ways with which future wars will be fought and may even profoundly alter the foundations upon which our modern societies are built on. This book, which discusses the full ethical implications of these new technologies, is a unique contribution for students and scholars who care about the morality of warfare. -- .

Unexploded ordnance is comprised of mines, shells and bombs. This represents a serious danger on old battlefields and military test ranges. Clean-up of such areas is difficult and expensive, particularly since existing detection techniques, when set to high sensitivity, have a high false alarm rate due to other non-hazardous objects. Reviewing the unexploded ordnance problem, including mines and existing electromagnetic detection technology, this book gives a detailed treatment of target signatures (natural frequencies and related parameters) for identification and discrimination from false targets.

An expert account of the development, role, and capabilities of the S-300 and S-400 air defence missile systems, key strategic weapons in Putin's Russia. Few modern missile systems have had such significance as the S-300 family. Highly regarded technically, Russia's most powerful air-defense systems have been a major strategic asset to the country, exported to major powers around the world, and are a key weapon in many international hotspots and in recent wars. In this book, professional missile systems analyst Steve Zaloga uses his specialist knowledge to assess and analyse them in detail. He explains that the S-300 is, in fact, three systems: the S-300P, designed as a replacement for older Soviet strategic SAM systems, the S-300V, developed to defend against Pershing ballistic missiles, and the S-300F, designed for ship defense. He also considers the supplementary S-350 system and the new-generation S-400 system, deployed in Syria and sold to both China and Turkey. An assessment of the latest S-500 system, designed to counter ballistic missiles and hypersonic cruise missiles, is also provided. Packed with detailed colour artwork and new photos, this book explains the considerable evolution of the S-300 family, perhaps the world's most famous strategic SAM, over the last three decades.

While Germany and Austria-Hungary were well-equipped with sniping rifles in 1914, their Allied opponents were not. This highly illustrated volume tells the inside story of the rifles carried by snipers of all the major powers during World War I. Although military sharpshooting had existed since the 18th century, in 1914 only the German and Austro-Hungarian armies fielded trained snipers armed with scoped rifles. Thus upon the outbreak of World War I, the Allied armies found themselves on the receiving end of a shooting war to which they had no means of response. Only the Canadians brought a dedicated sniping rifle into the trenches, but in small numbers. For the British, although production of a suitable rifle and scope were settled on quickly, the establishment of sniper training was difficult and its success was mostly due to the efforts of a handful of dedicated officers. The French eventually introduced a competent scoped rifle and a sniper training system, as did the Italians. Entering the war in 1917, the Americans experienced rifle shortages but were able to build on their pre-1914 efforts to find a suitable sniping weapon. The country that suffered most grievously was Russia; Russian troops fielded no snipers at all and suffered accordingly. Featuring full-colour artwork, carefully chosen archive images and photographs of the sniping rifles and accessories used in the trenches, this is the inside story of the rifles carried by snipers of all the major powers during World War I.

Featuring specially commissioned artwork and carefully chosen photographs, this study charts the SVD Dragunov rifle’s development, combat use and lasting legacy, from Vietnam to Syria.

Developed as a medium-range sniping rifle in the Soviet Union during the 1960s, the Dragunov stood out against most Western sniping rifle types by being semi-automatic, a configuration that marginally lowers accuracy compared to bolt-action sniping rifles, but which allows for faster follow-up shots. Even so, the SVD is still capable of taking precision killing shots out to 800m and beyond, making it a thoroughly practical combat weapon for marksmen and snipers.

In this fully illustrated study, Chris McNab explores the Dragunov’s development and performance in detail. But the story of this weapon really comes to life with its combat history. It is the world’s most widespread sniping rifle, still in use in the former Soviet armies and sold to more than 40 countries worldwide. Its rugged design, dependable capabilities and relatively low cost mean that it has been used in every conceivable type of conflict, from Vietnam and Afghanistan to Iraq and Syria. Illustrated with cutaway artwork and battlescenes, plus technical and historical photographs, this study tells the story of this remarkable weapon, from design and development to tactical use in action.

For the first time ever, compare the British and German World War II big guns duelling with each other and harrying shipping in the Channel. One of the longest-running battles of World War II took place across the English Channel, in which huge artillery guns attempted to destroy each other, created psychological terror among the local inhabitants living near the coast, and harassed shipping over a four-year period. Neil Short examines the array of powerful weapons located across the Strait of Dover. Superb colour artworks explore both fixed gun batteries (including 'Jane' and 'Clem', and batteries Todt and Lindemann) and railway artillery (such as the German K5 and K12 guns, and the British 18in. 'Boche Buster'). Construction and targeting technology used by each side are also covered in detail, and the locations of all the major sites around Dover and Calais are pinpointed on easy to follow maps.

The M4 carbine has become one of the defining military firearms of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Developed as a fusion of the XM177E2 Colt Commando and the M16A2 assault rifle, the M4 offered a more convenient battlefield firearm than the full-length M16 variants, and the US Army adopted it as the standard infantry weapon in the 1990s. Today, military and law-enforcement personnel of more than 60 countries have adopted either the M4 or the M4A1 variant, both of which have been tested and proven in major combat operations worldwide. This study describes the development process in detail, from production of the first XM4 prototypes in 1984 through numerous modified types until it emerged into official use as the M4 in 1994. The M4 offered a weapon that was 1lb lighter and 6in shorter than the standard M16A2, yet could still deliver precision semi-auto and full-auto firepower up to an effective range of 500m. Over time, its capabilities have been enhanced by the M4A1 modifications plus an extensive range of tactical accessories, including optical day/night sights, laser/infrared designators, under-barrel grenade launchers and shotgun modules, foregrips, furniture options, mounting rails, and sound suppressors. Numerous M4/M4A1 combat operations are investigated to reveal why the weapon has received such high levels of approval by front-line combat troops, not only in Afghanistan and Iraq, where the M4/M4A1 has been intensively combat-tested, but also in contexts such as Colombia, India, Israel, and the Philippines. Profusely illustrated with photographs and artworks, and drawing its research from the latest declassified documents, this is a complete guide to one of the most important and widely distributed tactical infantry weapons of the last quarter-century.

Although muskets delivered devastating projectiles at comparatively long ranges, their slow rate of fire left the soldier very vulnerable while reloading, and early muskets were useless for close-quarter fighting. Consequently, European infantry regiments of the 17th century were composed of both musketeers and pikemen, who protected the musketeers while loading but also formed the shock component for close-quarter combat. The development of the flintlock musket produced a much less cumbersome and faster-firing firearm. When a short knife was stuck into its muzzle, every soldier could be armed with a missile weapon as well as one that could be used for close combat. The only disadvantage was that the musket could not be loaded or fired while the plug bayonet was in place. The socket bayonet solved this problem and the musket/bayonet combination became the universal infantry weapon from c.1700 to c.1870. The advent of shorter rifled firearms saw the attachment of short swords to rifle barrels. Their longer blades still gave the infantryman the 'reach' that contemporaries believed he needed to fend off cavalry attacks. The perfection of the small-bore magazine rifle in the 1890s saw the bayonet lose its tactical importance, becoming smaller and more knife-like, a trend that continued in the world wars. When assault rifles predominated from the 1950s onwards, the bayonet became a weapon of last resort. Its potential usefulness continued to be recognized, but its blade was often combined with an item with some additional function, most notably a wire-cutter. Ultimately, for all its fearsome reputation as a visceral, close-quarter fighting weapon, the bayonet's greatest impact was actually as a psychological weapon. Featuring full-colour artwork as well as archive and close-up photographs, this is the absorbing story of the complementary weapon to every soldier's firearm from the army of Louis XIV to modern-day forces in all global theatres of conflict.