Military technology is the collection of equipment, vehicles, structures and communication systems that are designed for use in warfare. It comprises the kinds of technology that are distinctly military in nature and not civilian in application, usually because they are impractical in civilian application or dangerous to use without appropriate military training.

It is common for military technology to have been researched and developed by scientist

Scientist

A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...

s and engineer

Engineer

An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...

s specifically for use by the armed forces. Many new technologies came as a result of the military funding of science

Military funding of science

The military funding of science has had a powerful transformative effect on the practice and products of scientific research since the early 20th century...

. Weapons engineering is the design, development, testing and lifecycle management of military weapons and systems. It draws on the knowledge of several traditional engineering disciplines, including mechanical engineering

Mechanical engineering

Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...

, electrical engineering

Electrical engineering

Electrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...

, mechatronics

Mechatronics

Mechatronics is the combination of mechanical engineering, electronic engineering, computer engineering, software engineering, control engineering, and systems design engineering in order to design, and manufacture useful products. Mechatronics is a multidisciplinary field of engineering, that is...

, electro-optics

Electro-optics

Electro-optics is a branch of technology involving components, devices and systems which operate by modification of the optical properties of a material by an electric field...

, aerospace engineering

Aerospace engineering

Aerospace engineering is the primary branch of engineering concerned with the design, construction and science of aircraft and spacecraft. It is divided into two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering...

, materials engineering, and chemical engineering

Chemical engineering

Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...

.

There is a significant number of military inventions that are technologies originally developed and designed for military purposes, and which are now used by civilians with sometimes minor or no modifications at all.

Weapons and munitions

A firearm

Firearm

A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...

is a hand carried weapon that fires either a single or multiple projectiles using the gases produced by the rapid confined burning of a propellant.

• Automatic firearm
  Automatic firearm
  An automatic firearm is a firearm that loads another round mechanically after the first round has been fired.The term can be used to refer to semi-automatic firearms, which fire one shot per single pull of the trigger , or fully automatic firearms, which will continue to load and fire ammunition...
  
  s

Artillery

Artillery

Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...

are usually large caliber weapons firing projectiles over great distances. Artillery pieces are crew serviced weapons that provide direct or indirect trajectories for the shell.

• Rocket
  Rocket
  A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
  
  s
• Turret
  Turret
  In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
  
  s in fortifications, armoured vehicles, and warships

Melee

Mêlée

Melee , generally refers to disorganized close combat involving a group of fighters. A melee ensues when groups become locked together in combat with no regard to group tactics or fighting as an organized unit; each participant fights as an individual....

 weapons include sword

Sword

A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...

s, clubs, spear

Spear

A spear is a pole weapon consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head.The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with bamboo spears, or it may be made of a more durable material fastened to the shaft, such as flint, obsidian, iron, steel or...

s, axe

Axe

The axe, or ax, is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood; to harvest timber; as a weapon; and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol...

s, or fists: almost any tool with which one can hit, hack or stab someone else. The term "melee" generally means man-to-man or hand-to-hand combat.

• Lists of military weapons by types
• List of military weapon types by user
• List of military weapon types by function
• List of military weapon types by target
• Medieval siege weaponry

Munition is often defined as a synonym for ammunition

Ammunition

Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...

. A slightly broader definition would include bomb

Bomb

A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...

s, missile

Missile

Though a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...

s, warhead

Warhead

The term warhead refers to the explosive material and detonator that is delivered by a missile, rocket, or torpedo.- Etymology :During the early development of naval torpedoes, they could be equipped with an inert payload that was intended for use during training, test firing and exercises. This...

s, and mines.

• Bullet
  Bullet
  A bullet is a projectile propelled by a firearm, sling, or air gun. Bullets do not normally contain explosives, but damage the intended target by impact and penetration...
  
  
  • List of rifle cartridges
  • List of handgun cartridges
  • List of cartridges (weaponry), pistol and rifle
  • List of Shotgun cartridges
• Missile
  Missile
  Though a missile may be any thrown or launched object, it colloquially almost always refers to a self-propelled guided weapon system.-Etymology:The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send"...
  
  
  • List of missiles
• Bomb
  Bomb
  A bomb is any of a range of explosive weapons that only rely on the exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy...
  
  s
  • List of bombs
• Mines
  • List of landmines
  • Naval mine
    Naval mine
    A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
    
    s
• Mine warfare
  Mine warfare
  Mine warfare refers to the use of different types of explosive devices:*Land mine, a weight-triggered explosive device intended to maim or kill people or to destroy vehicles...
  
   (land and naval)

Armour

Armour

Armour or armor is protective covering used to prevent damage from being inflicted to an object, individual or a vehicle through use of direct contact weapons or projectiles, usually during combat, or from damage caused by a potentially dangerous environment or action...

Armour, is protective fabric intended to defend its wearer from intentional or unintentional harm in combat and military engagements, typically associated with soldiers.

• List of armour types
• Vehicle armouring
  Armoured fighting vehicle
  An armoured fighting vehicle is a combat vehicle, protected by strong armour and armed with weapons. AFVs can be wheeled or tracked....
  
   (tanks and APCs)

Vehicles and transports

Military vehicles are land combat or transportation vehicles, excluding rail-based, which are designed for or in significant use by military forces.

• List of military vehicles
• List of armoured fighting vehicles
• List of tanks

Military aviation includes any use of aircraft by a country's military, including such areas as transport, training, disaster relief, border patrol, search and rescue, surveillance, surveying, peacekeeping, and (very rarely) aerial warfare.

• List of aircraft
• List of aircraft weapons

Warships are watercraft for combat and transportation in and on seas and oceans.

• Submarine
  Submarine
  A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
  
  s
• Complex masting and sail systems
  Rigging
  Rigging is the apparatus through which the force of the wind is used to propel sailboats and sailing ships forward. This includes masts, yards, sails, and cordage.-Terms and classifications:...
  
   found on warships during the Age of Sail
  Age of Sail
  The Age of Sail was the period in which international trade and naval warfare were dominated by sailing ships, lasting from the 16th to the mid 19th century...
  
  
• List of historical ship and boat types
• List of aircraft carriers
• List of submarines
  • List of submarine classes

Military robot

Military robot

Military robots are autonomous robots or remote-controlled devices designed for military applications.Such systems are currently being researched by a number of militaries.-History:...

s

Military robots are autonomous

Autonomous robot

Autonomous robots are robots that can perform desired tasks in unstructured environments without continuous human guidance. Many kinds of robots have some degree of autonomy. Different robots can be autonomous in different ways...

 and remote-controlled robots, or robotically

Robotics

Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...

 enhanced systems designed for military applications.

• Powered exoskeleton
  Powered exoskeleton
  A powered exoskeleton, also known as powered armor, or exoframe, is a powered mobile machine consisting primarily of an exoskeleton-like framework worn by a person and a power supply that supplies at least part of the activation-energy for limb movement.Powered exoskeletons are designed to assist...
  
  s
• Bomb disposal
  Bomb disposal
  Bomb disposal is the process by which hazardous explosive devices are rendered safe. Bomb disposal is an all encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated functions in the following fields:*Military:...
  
   robots
• Unmanned ground vehicle
  Unmanned ground vehicle
  An unmanned ground vehicle is a military robot used to augment the soldiers capability. This type of robot is generally capable of operating outdoors and over a wide variety of terrain, functioning in place of humans....
  
  s
• Unmanned combat air vehicle
  Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle
  An unmanned combat air vehicle or combat drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle that is designed to deliver weapons without an onboard pilot. Currently operational UCAVs are under real-time human control, but future version may enable autonomous operation, for example with pre-programmed route and...
  
  s
• Autonomous underwater vehicle
  Autonomous Underwater Vehicle
  An autonomous underwater vehicle is a robot which travels underwater without requiring input from an operator. AUVs constitute part of a larger group of undersea systems known as unmanned underwater vehicles, a classification that includes non-autonomous remotely operated underwater vehicles...
  
  s

Fortifications

Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare.

• List of fortifications
• List of forts

Sensors and communications

Sensors and communication systems are used to detect enemies, coordinate movements of armed forces and guide weaponry.

• Radar
  Radar
  Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
  
  
• Missile guidance
  Missile guidance
  Missile guidance refers to a variety of methods of guiding a missile or a guided bomb to its intended target. The missile's target accuracy is a critical factor for its effectiveness...
  
  
• GPS guidance in guidance weapons

See also

• Bellifortis
  Bellifortis
  Bellifortis is the first fully illustrated manual of military technology, dating from the start of the 15th century...
  
  , late medieval treatise on military technology.
• Military invention
• Materiel
  Materiel
  Materiel is a term used in English to refer to the equipment and supplies in military and commercial supply chain management....