Weaponology

From 18th-century German Jaeger rifles to the modern Barrett AS50, see how centuries of technological innovation have resulted in firearms that can kill at 2,000 yards. The history of bullets, guns, sights, actions, camouflage and tactics are all unravelled as Weaponology gets locked and loaded.

Follow the history of the combatants last line of defense, from the armor od medieval knights to the latest revolutionary invention: Dragon Skin. Find out how a priest invented the first bullet-proof vest, and how a pizza boy came up with the concealable body armor.

One man, one weapon, lots of bullets. From the cumbersome but deadly Gatling Gun to the lightweight hand-held firepower of the modern battlefield. we trace the men and breakthroughs that gave birth to the most deadly family of infantry weapons.

Carrying nuclear missiles of unimaginable destructive power, torpedoes capable of wiping out entire fleets, and special forces for clandestine missions, today's subs are the ultimate marine warfare package. We trace the submarine's ancestry from the first submersibles to today's Virginia-Class attack submarines.

With cutting-edge science and awesome firepower, Vertical Take-Off aircraft are the most versatile and innovative weapons in modern warfare. Exploring the development of engine design, advanced avionics, target and survival systems, we show how helicopters and VTO are an essential component of air power on 21st -century battlefields.

From the first moment that man took to the skies, he realized the potential of using aircraft to assault the enemy from the air. In World War 1, pilots dropped bombs out of the cockpit by hand. Eight decades later, the bomber went intercontinental, supersonic, eluded radar and dropped bombs with precision accuracy. Built to carry the fight to the enemy, there's no hiding place from 21st Century bombers and their bombs.

Strap yourself in for the extraordinary history of fighter planes - the most versatile and terrifying weapons in modern warfare. Exploring the development of engine power, wings, maneuverability and ejection systems, see how fighter jets now rule the land and sky.

Long ago christened the "King of Battle", heavy guns are always evolving to keep pace with warfare. From catapults to cannon, ballista to battleships, gunpowder to giant superguns, we chart the evolution and the sheer power of this mind-shattering dynasty of destruction.

Dangerous and infinitely adaptable, traps are the hidden killers of the battlefield. For millennia they've maimed, killed and psychologically defeated the enemy, making the safe unsafe. We trace their ancestry through centuries of global conflicts and technological innovation to show you what's gone into today's latest and greatest traps.

When a soldier is pinned down, sometimes he can only rely on the weapons he carries with him. He might be facing a tank, he might be pinned down by a machine gun nest, and he might take heat from planes and choppers. When that moment comes, hand grenades and RPG's become a soldier's best friend.

Fire is the oldest, most feared weapon known to man. Take a journey through time to see how ancient Greek Fire set seas alight, destroying naval fleets; how World War II incendiary bombs unleashed firestorms in enemy cities; why napalm became one of the lasting images of the Vietnam War; and how all of these weapons have been surpassed by the awesome destructive power of today's thermobaric bombs.

The modern battlefield is swept by lethal cyclones of fire and steel making them vast killing fields for unprotected infantry. We take you on a journey charting the development of some of the infantryman's best friends: dashing recon vehicles, armored personnel carriers, and bristling gun trucks to protect vital convoys. See how these vehicles slug it out with the enemy to keep the guys on the ground alive, informed and ready for action.

The tank is the incarnation of the modern offensive spirit - a lethal combination of speed, protection, and terrifying destructive power. Come along as we reveal how the blazing forge of battle transformed the tank from the lumbering steel box of 1916 into today's swift and savage hunter. Follow the tank's family tree to discover why, after nearly 100 years, tanks are still the unstoppable cutting edge of a modern army.