By user
- - what person or unit uses the weapon
- Personal weapons (or small arms) - designed to be used by a single person.
- Hunting weapon - primarily for hunting game animals for food or sport
- Infantry support weapons - larger than personal weapons, requiring two or more people to operate correctly.
- Fortification weapons - mounted in a permanent installation, or used primarily within a fortification. Usually high caliber.
- Mountain weapons - for use by mountain forces or those operating in difficult terrain. This includes modifications of existing weapons for paratroopers.
- Vehicle weapons - to be mounted on any type of combat vehicle.
- Railway weapons - designed to be mounted on railway cars, including armored trains.
- Aircraft weapons - carried on and used by some type of aircraft, helicopter, or other aerial vehicle.
- Naval weapons - mounted on ships and submarines.
- Space weapons - are designed to be used in or launched from space.
[edit]By function
- - the construction of the weapon and principle of operation
- Antimatter weapons (theoretical) would combine matter and antimatter to cause a powerful explosion.
- Archery weapons operate by using a tensioned string and bent solid to launch a projectile.
- Artillery are firearms capable of launching heavy projectiles over long distances, which can explode on impact.
- Biological weapons spread biological agents, causing disease or infection.
- Chemical weapons, poisoning and causing reactions.
- Energy weapons rely on concentrating forms of energy to attack, such as lasers or sonic attack.
- Explosive weapons use a physical explosion to create blast concussion or spread shrapnel.
- Firearms use a chemical charge to launch projectiles.
- Improvised weapons are common objects, reused as weapons, such as crowbars and kitchen knives.
- Incendiary weapons cause damage by fire.
- Non-lethal weapons are designed to subdue without killing.
- Magnetic weapons use magnetic fields to propel projectiles, or to focus particle beams.
- Mêlée weapons operate as physical extensions of the user's body and directly impact their target.
- Missiles are rockets which are guided to their target after launch. (Also a general term for projectile weapons).
- Nuclear weapons use radioactive materials to create nuclear fission and/or nuclear fusion detonations.
- Primitive weapons make little or no use of technological or industrial elements.
- Ranged weapons (unlike Mêlée weapons), target a distant object or person.
- Rockets use chemical propellant to accelerate a projectile
- Suicide weapons exploit the willingness of their operator to not survive the attack.
- Trojan weapons appear on face value to be gifts, though the intent is to in some way harm the recipient.
[edit]By target
- - the type of target the weapon is designed to attack
- Anti-aircraft weapons target missiles and aerial vehicles in flight.
- Anti-fortification weapons are designed to target enemy installations.
- Anti-personnel weapons are designed to attack people, either individually or in numbers.
- Anti-radiation weapons target sources of electronic radiation, particularly radar emitters.
- Anti-satellite weapons target orbiting satellites.
- Anti-ship weapons target ships and vessels on water.
- Anti-submarine weapons target submarines and other underwater targets.
- Anti-tank weapons are designed to defeat armored targets.
- Area denial weapons target territory, making it unsafe or unsuitable for enemy use or travel.
- Hunting weapons are civilian weapons used to hunt animals.
- Infantry support weapons are designed to attack various threats to infantry units.
[edit]Legislation
The production, possession, trade and use of many weapons are controlled. This may be at a local or central government level and in some cases is governed by international treaty.
Examples of such controls include:
- The right of self-defense
- Knife legislation
- Air gun laws
- Gun law
- Arms trafficking laws
- Arms control treaties
- Space Preservation Treaty
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