Military technology

Military technology is the use of science and tools made especially for fighting in wars. These tools are built to help armies, and they are often dangerous or not useful for everyday life, so they need special training to use safely.

Many inventions made for the military have later been used by everyone. For example, things like the internet and some medical tools started as military ideas. Scientists and engineers work hard to create new technologies that can be used in battles.

Armament engineering is the part of military technology that designs and tests weapons and other equipment. It uses many kinds of engineering knowledge, such as how machines work, how electricity flows, and how to build strong materials, to make sure weapons are safe and effective for the armed forces.

History

Main article: History of military technology

This section looks at how different cultures developed tools and ways to fight over many years.

Ancient technology

People first started using simple tools made from grass a very long time ago, during the Paleolithic Period. These tools were found at a place called Lomekwi, Turkana, and are about 3.3 million years old. Later, during the Pleistocene Period, these tools changed and improved.

People learned to make weapons from copper and tin, creating what we call the Bronze Age. In some places, like Asia, this took longer because they didn’t have the right materials close by. But in places like the Middle East and Europe, the Bronze Age came after a time called the Neolithic Period. After that, the Iron Age began, where iron was used to make even stronger weapons.

The Assyrians were known for using horses in battle and were the first to use arrows with iron tips.

Post-classical technology

The book Wujing Zongyao, written around 1043 during the Song dynasty in China, shows how important war was at that time. It talks about military plans, training, and new kinds of weapons.

New ways to fight appeared, like the flamethrower, which came from old Greece. The Chinese also used gunpowder in battles, like in the Battle of Langshan Jiang in 919. They used a mixture called “fire oil” to set enemy ships on fire.

The Song dynasty made early guns and cannons. One early gun looked like a long tube and could shoot out bits of metal and fire. These weapons changed over time from bamboo tubes to metal ones.

Modern technology

Armies

In more recent times, new inventions changed how soldiers fought. Rifles became more accurate and easier to load. Machine guns were invented in the 1860s. Rockets and better cannons were also used.

Trains and telegraphs helped armies move and talk to each other better. Factories made supplies like uniforms and medical tools.

Naval

Ships changed a lot too. Steam engines, better guns, and steel armour made battleships stronger. Mines and torpedoes were also used. Submarines and airplanes appeared around 1900 and quickly became important in war.

Organization and finance

Governments found new ways to pay for wars, like selling bonds and collecting taxes. They also started big research centers to create new inventions for the military.

Postmodern technology

The postmodern stage of military technology began in the 1940s, largely because of the high priority given to scientific and engineering research during World War II. This included work on nuclear weapons, radar, jet engines, and many other advanced weapons. This focus continued into the 21st century, with military use of nuclear weapons, jet engines, missiles, radar, and modern electronics and computers.

Space

Further information: Militarisation of space, Space warfare, and Space weapon

During the Cold War, the Soviet Union and the United States of America spent large amounts of money on developing military technologies. Their competition to launch objects into space started the Space Race. In 1957, the USSR launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1.

By the late 1960s, both countries regularly used satellites. Spy satellites took detailed pictures of each other’s military bases. Over time, both sides became concerned about the accuracy of these images. They developed ways to disable or destroy each other’s satellites, researching laser weapons and other systems. Spy satellites were also used to check on agreements between the two countries.

The two superpowers created long-range missiles able to carry nuclear weaponry across the world. As missile technology improved, these weapons could reach almost any target on Earth in just minutes. These missiles were often launched into space to travel long distances.

Mobilization

See also: Military logistics, Airlift, and Sealift

Much of military technology is about moving troops and weapons from where they are stored to where they are needed. On land, soldiers have walked, but vehicles have also been used, from chariots to tanks.

When fighting involves water, ships are used. There are two main types of ships: those for carrying soldiers and those for attacking enemy ships.

Airplanes were quickly used for military purposes after they were invented. The two main types of military aircraft are bombers, which attack targets on land or at sea, and fighters, which attack other airplanes.

Military vehicles are land vehicles designed for use by armies.

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

Military aircraft includes any use of airplanes by a country’s military.

• List of aircraft
• List of aircraft weapons

Warships are boats built for fighting and moving troops on seas and oceans.

• Submarines
• Complex masting and sail systems found on warships during the Age of Sail
• List of historical ship and boat types
• List of aircraft carriers
• List of submarine classes

Defence

Main article: Fortification

Fortifications are buildings or structures built to protect soldiers during wars. They vary greatly in size and age, from the Great Wall of China to small temporary walls.

• List of fortifications
• List of forts

Further information on the patented portable armored wall system: McCurdy's Armor

Sensors and communication

See also: Network-centric warfare and Global Information Grid

Sensors and communication systems help armies find enemies, organize their forces, and guide weapons. Early methods included flags, telegraphs, and mirrors.

• Laser guidance
• Missile guidance
• Norden Bombsight
• Proximity fuse
• Radar
• Satellite guidance in guidance weapons

Future technology

Main article: Revolution in Military Affairs

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is a group in the United States that works on creating new tools for the military. They have many projects, like making robots and special bullets that can change direction. Other countries, like China, also have similar groups.

Armies around the world are always looking for new technology to help them. They study things like better radar, faster internet, tiny computer parts, and big data tools. They also want to make lasers stronger and more useful. Many armies are interested in machines that can move on their own, like cars and robots, which might help keep soldiers safer in future fights. Some people who study how humans and technology mix notice that military books talk a lot about technology but not so much about changing humans.

Today’s way of fighting also needs good computer tools. Because armies use so many computers, countries work hard to protect their networks and handle big amounts of information. New ways of fighting include attacking computer networks, watching what people say online, and using social media to share messages.

In 2011, the US Defense Department said that the online world is also a place where battles can happen. Since then, they started a project called “Project X” to learn more about the online world and plan better for online fights.

Further information: Cyberwarfare