Weapon

A weapon, arm, or armament is any implement or device that is used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime (e.g. murder), law enforcement, self-defense, warfare, or suicide. In broader context, weapons may be construed to include anything used to gain a tactical, strategic, material, or mental advantage over an adversary or enemy target.

"Weaponry" redirects here. For other uses, see Weaponry (disambiguation).

While ordinary objects such as sticks, rocks, bottles, chairs, and vehicles can be used as weapons, many objects are expressly designed for the purpose; these range from simple implements such as clubs, axes, spears, and swords, to complicated modern firearms, tanks, intercontinental ballistic missiles, biological weapons, and cyberweapons. Something that has been re-purposed, converted, or enhanced to become a weapon of war is termed weaponized, such as a weaponized virus or weaponized laser.

(or small arms) – designed to be used by a single person.

Personal weapons

– 'man-portable' weapons that may require a small team to operate.^[22]

Light weapons

Heavy weapons – and similar weapons larger than light weapons (see SALW).

artillery

– larger than personal weapons, requiring two or more people to operate correctly.

Crew served weapons

– mounted in a permanent installation, or used primarily within a fortification.

Fortification weapons

– for use by mountain forces or those operating in difficult terrain.

Mountain weapons

– to be mounted on any type of combat vehicle.

Vehicle weapons

– designed to be mounted on railway cars, including armored trains.

Railway weapons

– carried on and used by some type of aircraft, helicopter, or other aerial vehicle.

Aircraft weapons

– mounted on ships and submarines.

Naval weapons

– are designed to be used in or launched from space.

Space weapons

– are capable of accomplishing a mission with limited or no human intervention.

Autonomous weapons

of unused weapons such as bombs, ordnance, landmines, and chemical weapons has been common practice by many nations, and has created hazards.^[25]^[26]^[27]^[28]

Ocean dumping

(UXO) are bombs, land mines and naval mines and similar that did not explode when they were employed and still pose a risk for many years or decades.

Unexploded ordnance

or mine clearance from areas of past conflict is a difficult process, but every year, landmines kill 15,000 to 20,000 people and severely maim countless more.^[29]

Demining

was a serious concern after the fall of the Soviet Union, with the prospect of "loose nukes" being available.^[30] While this risk may have receded,^[31] similar situation may arise in the future.

Nuclear terrorism

There are a number of issue around the potential ongoing risks from deployed weapons, the safe storage of weapons, and their eventual disposal when no longer effective or safe.

The dictionary definition of weapon at Wiktionary

Quotations related to Weapon at Wikiquote

Media related to Weapons at Wikimedia Commons