Weapons explained
What each weapon type is, what it does and which countries have the most.
Air
Fighter jet
A fast, agile combat aircraft built to win control of the sky by destroying enemy aircraft, and in most modern designs also to strike groun…
Strategic bomber
A large, long-range aircraft that can fly across continents to strike targets deep inside an enemy country, with conventional or nuclear we…
Ground-attack aircraft
An aircraft designed mainly to attack tanks, vehicles and positions on the ground in support of troops ('close air support'). They are usua…
Military transport aircraft
Aircraft that carry troops, vehicles, supplies and paratroopers, and fly disaster relief and medical evacuation missions. Many can land on …
Attack helicopter
A helicopter armed with a cannon, rockets and anti-tank missiles, built to hunt tanks and support ground troops. It can hide behind hills a…
Transport & utility helicopter
The workhorses of every military: they move troops and cargo, rescue people, evacuate the wounded and fight fires. Heavy-lift helicopters s…
Airborne early warning aircraft (AEW&C)
An aircraft carrying a large radar, often in a rotating dish on its back, that can see aircraft, missiles and ships hundreds of kilometres …