Weaponology

The blazing forge of battle transformed the tank from the lumbering steel-box of 1916 into today's swift and savage hunter.

Centuries of technological innovation have resulted in the creation of rifles that can kill from 2,000 yards. The history of the bullets, guns, sights, mechanisms, camouflage and tactics of sniper rifles is revealed.

From medieval knights to the latest revolutionary invention called dragon skin, experts present the history of armor protection. A priest invest the first bullet-proof vest, and a pizza boy comes up with concealable body-armor.

From the cumbersome, but deadly, Gatling gun to the lightweight, hand-held assassins of the modern battlefield, the men and the moments that developed the deadliest family of infantry weapons are profiled.

Artillery is ever-present on the battlefield and always evolving to keep pace with warfare. From catapults to cannons, ballista to battleships, gunpowder to giant super-guns, the evolution of artillery is charted.

Carrying nuclear missiles of unimaginable destructive power, torpedoes capable of wiping out entire fleets and special forces for clandestine missions, today's submarines are the ultimate warfare package.

Vertical take-off aircraft are among the most versatile weapons in modern warfare. The technology was developed through advancements in engine power alongside advanced avionic, target and survival systems.

In eight decades, humans went from the invention of powered flight to the awesome stealth bomber. From bombs thrown from the cockpit to laser-guided bunker busters, these birds carry the fight to the enemy.

The history of the most terrifying weapons in modern warfare, fighter planes, is presented. Through the development of engine power, wings, maneuverability and ejection systems, fighter jets now rule the land and sky.

Dangerous and infinitely adaptable, traps are the hidden killers of the battlefield. For millennia, they've maimed, killed and psychologically defeated the enemy. Their development is traced through centuries of global conflict.

The history of portable firepower is traced. This family of weapons packs an explosive punch, but can be carried and operated by small infantry units.

Fire has become a terrifying weapon of mass destruction, burning hotter, harder and longer. Its progression is traced from the Molotov cocktail to the awesome, destructive power of today's thermobaric bombs.

Experts chart the development of some of the infantryman's best friends: dashing recon vehicles, armored personnel carrier and bristling gun trucks that protect vital convoys.