About This Quiz
ATTENTION!! Here's your chance to put your knowledge of formidable war machines on parade!
Soldiers win wars, but they must depend on their equipment to give them the advantage on the battlefield. It seems there has always been some pretty awesome military equipment helping to turn the tides of conflict around the world. Just imagine when the very first British-made M1 battle tank rolled into the thick of World War I on Sept. 15, 1916. What a sight that must have been!
Since then, new technology and impressive upgrades have led to vehicles and weapons which can take the brunt of whatever the enemy has to offer. These modern armed and armored military contraptions are really as intimidating as they look - whether in friendly war games or in full-scale battle.
Their names, however, tend to be dead giveaways, as most of them do exactly what their names say. That means you should definitely be able to spot them in a jiffy!
From the land, sea, air and even outer space, militaries today have some of the most advanced and effective gear ever devised. As a matter of fact, there are many armies fielding war craft which can effortlessly go from sea straight to land, taking the fight to the enemy's home front. Can you think of any in this category? There are quite a few, so we're sure you can!
No doubt, present-day war machines are the best way to gain the upper hand in even the most grueling of conflicts. It might take a military expert to correctly identify all the ones in this quiz. So, check your six and see if you've got what it takes to keep up the pace with this quiz.
This supersonic aircraft is designed with variable-sweep wings (a.k.a. swing wings). This means the wings can be swept back, changing the shape of the aircraft and allowing it to perform at maximum efficiency at both fast and slow speeds.
The assault amphibious vehicle (often referred to as the AAV7 or amtracks) is a tracked vehicle designed for launch from an amphibious assault ship. The AAV7 is also categorized as an armored personnel carrier – it has a crew of 3 and holds up to 25 Marines or close to 5 tons of supplies.
Over 11 million of the Remington Model 870 shotgun have been made since production began in 1950. The 870 is used by civilian, law enforcement and military personnel in several countries around the world.
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There are 10 Nimitz-Class aircraft carriers, each powered by 2 nuclear reactors and all in the service of the United States Navy. These supercarriers are the largest ever built, with a unit cost of just under US$9 billion.
Over 50 countries currently use or have used the AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile as a part of their military arsenal. The AIM-9 is a guided short-range missile which may be fired from fixed-wing aircraft and some modern helicopters.
The CAESAR self-propelled gun-howitzer is a French-built truck-mounted weapon. The first of its kind, the CAESAR, features a powerful howitzer mounted on a military truck. The armies of France, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Thailand current field CAESARs.
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This twin-engine attack helicopter is part of both the Cobra and Huey attack helicopter families. It began service during the Vietnam War and has since been upgraded, with the Bell AH-1Z Viper being one of the latest variants.
The M14 battle rifle was designed as a replacement to the well-known M1 Garand rifle which had been used extensively by Allied forces during the Second World War. The M14 was brought into service by the United States military in 1959, but by 1964 it was only being used on a limited basis.
This 6-wheeled mine-resistant ambush protected (MRAP) vehicle is specially built for the task of mine clearance. It has a 30-foot robotic arm and claw which is operated remotely from inside the vehicle with the assistance of a camera and sensory equipment.
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This Polish-made light cargo and passenger plane is made for short takeoff and landing (STOL). That means it is able to take off from or land on runways which are shorter than those used by ordinary planes.
This German-designed submachine gun is highly favored by many military forces around the world, including North American Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams. In fact, the MP5 is among the most widely used submachine guns around the world.
Production of the M1 Abrams began in 1980 and since then over 10,000 of the original M1 and its many variants have been built. This heavily armed and heavily armored vehicle is among the most formidable main battle tanks ever built.
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Although they are relatively small, tugboats are very strong and very sturdily built. Many navies around the world field their own fleet of tugs to assist with pushing, towing and salvage operations. In many cases, tugs have a crew of civilian personnel.
The Keiler mine clearing vehicle was developed to meet German Army requirements and was first produced in 1997. The non-weaponized Keiler is a type of “mine flail” since it uses an assembly of large metal weights to safely detonate mines and clear a path for other vehicles.
The lightweight Mk 50 torpedo is designed for use against fast-moving, deep-diving submarines. It can be deployed from both surface ships and aircraft.
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The Beretta M9 semi-automatic pistol has been used by the United States military as its primary sidearm since 1990. It has seen action in several conflicts since then, beginning with the Persian Gulf War.
This all-weather, medium-range helicopter is operated by the United States Coast Guard and is equipped with the sensors and equipment necessary for it to perform search and rescue missions. The MH-60 also carries weapons as deterrents and for defense.
The Humvee is technically known as the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (or HMMWV). It is a light utility vehicle which enjoys extreme popularity with militaries around the world – nearly 300,000 have been built.
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This fully tracked vehicle has been in operation with the United States military since the Vietnam War. Since then, it has been put to use by a host of national militaries in a long list of conflicts around the globe. The M113 takes a crew of 2 plus 11 passengers.
Amphibious assault ships are large vessels designed with a flight deck and below deck hangar facilities. They can support assault amphibious vehicles and amphibious landing craft, as well as vertical or short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) aircraft.
The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit stealth heavy bomber is known simply as either the “B-2” or the “Stealth Bomber.” It is specifically designed to penetrate areas with intense anti-aircraft defenses. The Stealth Bomber can undertake attack missions at any altitude and has been in service with the United States military since 1997.
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This multi-mission military aircraft is designed for vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), as well as short takeoff and landing (STOL). Both the United States Marine Corps and the U.S. Air Force make use of the V-22 Osprey among their lineup of war machines.
This Swedish-built anti-tank weapon has been put to use by over 25 countries as part of their military arsenal. The AT4 has been around since 1987, and over 600,000 units have been built. While the AT4 still proves effective against most targets, upgrades in main battle tank design have made it virtually ineffective against them.
The M2 Bradley is a highly maneuverable, lightly armored, fully tracked transport vehicle. It has the capacity to carry a crew of 3 plus a fully equipped 6-man infantry squad.
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This high-powered weapon is described as an air-cooled, electrically fired Gatling-style rotary cannon. Its first combat mission was in Vietnam in 1965 and over the past 50 years, it has featured prominently on fixed wing aircraft used by the United States military.
The United States military is the primary user of this twin-engine, high-wing cargo aircraft, with about 40 currently in service. The C-2 functions mainly in a COD (carrier onboard delivery) capacity, ferrying high-priority cargo, mail and passengers between shore and aircraft carriers.
Mk 153 is a shoulder-launched multipurpose assault weapon (SMAW) which fires rockets with anti-tank capabilities. It has a maximum firing range of 1,967 yards with the effective range being up to 533 yards.
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While the Caterpillar D9 isn’t a truly military vehicle, some units have been modified and upgraded with armor for use by the Israeli Defense Forces. The armored Caterpillar D9s have proven effective in both low intensity conflicts and full-scale combat.
The Hellfire (known formally as the AGM-114 Hellfire) is among the most common and most powerful anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) in use in the world. The Hellfire has been used on a wide variety of targets –not just tanks, as its formal description suggests. It can be fired from the air or from the ground.
Attack submarines are used to seek out and destroy other attack submarines, ballistic missile submarines and surface vessels. The nuclear-powered Seawolf-class of attack submarines used by the United States Navy is currently the most advanced of its kind.
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Variants of this combat search and rescue helicopter can mainly be found in the United States Air Force and the Republic of Korea Air Force. Each HH-60 Pave Hawk costs approximately US$40 million to produce.
The M2 has been in military service since the 1930s and is one of the longest-serving firearms within the United States military. Variants of the M2 are currently used by almost every national military in the world.
The M270 is a U.S. multiple rocket launcher used by over a dozen militaries around the world. It is self-propelled and designed with an armored cab which holds a 3-man crew.
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Desert patrol vehicles are lightly armored, high-speed vehicles with impressive off-road mobility. They rose to public prominence after being used extensively in Operation Desert Storm and are currently featured in a variety of video games.
The United States military went through several variations and alternatives in assault rifles before coming up with the efficient and revolutionary M16. It was first used in combat during the Vietnam War and is currently in the fourth generation of model upgrades – the M16A4.
Variants within this family of twinjet aircraft are used by several national militaries. In most cases, the Gulfstream IV operates as a VIP carrier for high-ranking military personnel.
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The Mk 19 automatic grenade launcher was developed for use in the Vietnam War but first had to undergo several modifications to be deemed safe for use by the United States military. Its maximum firing range is just over 2,400 yards, with the effective range being 1,600 yards.
Among the duties of this armored recovery vehicle (ARV) is providing towing and repair services to damaged or disabled armored fighting vehicles during combat. Like other ARVs, the M88 is a very huge vehicle – one variant, the M88A2 Hercules, weighs approximately 70 tons.
Not only are frigates smaller than cruisers and destroyers, they are also cheaper to build and operate. For this reason, they are a vital part of most navies’ roster of vessels. The guided missile frigates of the Admiral Gorshkov class are operated by the Russian navy and are generally considered to be among the best of all modern frigates.
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The M24 goes beyond being an ordinary sniper rifle. It has earned the title of a Sniper Weapon System (SWS), with its detachable telescopic sight being just one of its many modular accessories and tools.
The Soltam K6 is an Israeli-made mortar. Its most popular variant is the M120 mortar, which is in service with several national militaries around the world.
Anti-tank mines have sufficient explosive force to damage, disable or destroy armored vehicles. While the most well-known anti-tank mines are those designed to be buried under the roadway, there are also off-route mines which are hidden by the side of road and detonated by passing vehicles.
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The MIM-72 Chaparral is a self-propelled surface-to-air missile system with both short-range and long-range capabilities. It was developed by the U.S. and used by them from 1969 to 1998. Several other national militaries also use the MIM-72 Chaparral surface-to-air missile system as a part of their arsenal.
Known as the McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle, this American-made multirole strike fighter performs effectively in all types of weather conditions. The F-15E has been in production since 1986 and its variants have served several national militaries since then.
The United States Marine Corps (USMC) issues the OKC-3S as its service bayonet for use with M16 rifles. The OKC-3S is not used solely by the USMC, however, as the manufacturer makes it available for civilian purchase.
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The M9 Armored Combat Earthmover (or M9 ACE) is non-weaponized but has the ability to provide a myriad of engineering support services to frontline troops. Among its specific roles are demolishing enemy obstacles, digging anti-tank trenches and building embankments as defense against enemy fire.
Both the United States Navy and the Russian Navy field a class of guided missile cruisers among their lineup of vessels. For the U.S., it is the Ticonderoga-class cruiser while for Russia, it is the Slava-class cruiser.
The M60 AVLB (armored vehicle-launched bridge) is a non-weaponized support unit. Its design includes three parts: the vehicle hull, a launcher and a bridge. Once launched and secured, the bridge can bear the weight of not only wheeled vehicles but also tracked vehicles such as tanks.
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At least 20 countries operate the French-built Panhard VBL armored scout car. The Panhard VBL is amphibious, lightly armored and weaponized. It holds a crew of 2 to 3 soldiers