The Amazing World Of War Machines

NBC - Nuclear, Biological and Chemical - are the three weapons of mass destruction. The latter two have been used extensively throughout history in warfare.

Since the end of World War II, when the United States dropped the A-bomb on Japan, and the advent of the Cold War, the threat of nuclear destruction has never seemed far away. Although in recent times attempts have been made to slow or even stop nuclear proliferation, countries such as North Korea, China and Pakistan have continued to develop and test their own missiles.

In the early 1480s, Leonardo Da Vinci designed an aerial screw. Its intended use was unknown, yet served as the inspiration for the helicopter.

Rockets and guided missiles are the essential component of any military arsenal. By definition, rockets are unguided and follow the laws of physics and trajectory; whereas missiles are guided, either remotely or internally.

In 1910 the world's first bombing tests were carried out by the United States in a plane that barely looked as though it could carry a human being, let alone a bomb! It wasn't until the German Rumpler Taube rolled off the production line in 1911 that planes were first used in combat.

The first fighter aircraft were flimsy contraptions made up of wood and fabric, flown by men with fast reflexes and deadly determination. How the times have changed.

Beneath the waves lurks a stealthy war machine. Capable of carrying nuclear weapons, submarines play a key role in the defense of many countries around the world today.

Another basic building block of civilization and warfare is the ship. From the Second Millennia BC, ships were used to transport troops to battle.

The idea of tanks began as an extension of armory, with technicians seeing the need for soldiers to traverse the battlefield while being fully protected from enemy fire. As the type of weaponry used in warfare increased in size and caliber, the type of armor required became too heavy and cumbersome, and so the advent of the tank was welcomed by armies worldwide.

Once man moved from hunter-gatherer to crop grower and farmer, he needed somewhere permanent to live, and to protect his property. From earliest civilization, forts, barricades and battlements were an intrinsic part of the world.

The United State's 280mm Howitzer, Atomic Annie, was first tested in 1953. It fired a 365kg fission warhead 10,000 meters, and it detonated 160 meters above the ground.

One of the fundamental pieces of military equipment is the rifle. Originally the soldier's musket was the crucial piece of hardware in gaining ground and holding it.

The history of armed conflict is intrinsically tied to the history of civilization and Man's quest for the basic things in life. Over the centuries those weapons ranged from bow and arrows to armor, swords and chain mail.