The Amazing World Of War Machines

Through centuries of armed conflict weapons have evolved from arrows to swords to the technological development that left them all behind: gunpowder. Since then advances in weaponry have been both awe-inspiring and frightening.

After firearms evolved from a rifle to a shotgun and bolt-action rifle inventor Walter Hunt developed the concept of a "magazine" for easier loading of semi-automatic and automatic weapons.

The United States' 280mm Howitzer Atomic Annie was first tested in 1953 firing a 365kg fission warhead 10000 meters high. Artillery itself has a long and distinguished history going back through time to the dawn of gunpowder.

Since the earliest civilizations in Assyria Egypt and Greece man has erected forts barricades and battlements to protect his personal property. Some of the oldest defensive structures still exist today.

Tanks were originally invented as an extension of armory to protect soldiers from enemy fire but as personal armor became too heavy tanks became globally accepted in warfare.

Since the 2nd millennium BC ships have been used for trade exploration piracy and transporting troops to battle with formal navies appearing from the 6th and 7th centuries.

While the earliest submarines can be traced back to the time of Alexander the Great in 323 BC the first military submarine was designed and constructed by American inventor David Bushnell in 1776. Today subs play a key role in defending many countries.

Times have changed since the first fighter aircraft which were flimsy contraptions made of wood and fabric. Today fighter pilots control multimillion-dollar machines.

Although the U.S. launched the world's first air bombing tests in 1910 the first plane used in combat was the German Rumpler Taube in 1911. Zeppelins were also popular for their bomb-carrying capacity and ability to fly over long distances.

Unguided rockets and guided missiles are essential components of any military arsenal. Different types of remotely or internally guided missiles include anti-tank or anti-aircraft missiles surface-to-air missiles and ballistic missiles.

In the early 1480s Leonardo Da Vinci's "aerial screw" design served as inspiration for the helicopter which has since developed into a versatile war machine used for combat troop transport and airlifting the wounded.

Since the end of World War II and the advent of the Cold War nuclear destruction has been a constant threat. Despite recent attempts to slow or stop nuclear proliferation countries such as North Korea China and Pakistan have continued to develop their own nuclear missiles.

NBC—Nuclear Biological and Chemical—are the three weapons of mass destruction. Biological and chemical weapons have been used extensively in warfare throughout history. Technology has advanced to manufacture—and defend against—these and other brutal weapons.