Weaponology 2

Uncover the killer genes in the tank's family tree.

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

Follow the history of armor protection from medieval knights to the latest revolutionary invention called dragon skin. Find out how a priest invented the first bullet-proof vest, and how a pizza boy came up with concealable body armor.

One man, one weapon, lots of bullets. From the cumbersome but deadly Gatling gun to the lightweight, hand-held assassins of the modern battlefield, trace the men and the moments that developed the most deadly family of infantry weapons.

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, chart the evolution of this powerful dynasty of destruction.

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

Chart the history of vertical take off aircraft, the most versatile weapon in modern warfare. Explore the development of engine power, and advanced avionic, target and survival systems.

In eight decades man went from the invention of powered flight to the awesome B2 Stealth bomber. From bombs thrown from the cockpit to laser-guided bunker busters, these birds carry the fight to the enemy, destroying everything in their path.

Chart the history of fighter planes, the most terrifying weapons in modern warfare. Exploring the development of engine power, wings, maneuverability and ejection systems, find out how 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. Trace their development through centuries of global conflict.

Weaponology traces the history of portable firepower. This family of weapons pack an explosive punch, but can be carried and operated by small infantry units.

Witness how fire has become a terrifying weapon of mass destruction, burning hotter, harder and longer - from the simple Molotov cocktail to the awesome destructive power of today's thermo-baric bombs.

Trace the family trees of the greatest fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers in history.