Age exploration and colonization seen the growth of firearms and the rise of naval combat, as Western forces vied for supremacy on the large seas. The growth of ship-mounted cannons and the innovation of naval strategies such as the broadside volley changed naval warfare, shaping the span of record and paving the way in which for the increase of maritime empires. Meanwhile, on area, the musket and its derivatives turned the standard armament of infantry causes, ushering in the age of massed firepower and point infantry tactics.

The industrial innovation heralded a fresh period of technical advancement and mass production, transforming the character of warfare and the abilities of weapons. The rifled barrel increased reliability and range, whilst Pistole Elettriche breech-loading mechanism improved the charge of fireplace, ushering in the era of saying guns and device guns. The development of mechanized warfare found the introduction of armored cars, aircraft, and submarines, revolutionizing the battlefield and tough traditional notions of warfare. The horrors of trench combat in World Conflict I showcased the damaging energy of contemporary weaponry, as unit weapons, artillery, and compound tools unleashed unprecedented destruction on a global scale.

The twentieth century noticed the start of the nuclear era and the frightening specter of nuclear warfare, while the creation of the nuclear blast permanently altered the calculus of struggle and presented the chance of annihilation on a planetary scale. The Cold War saw the proliferation of nuclear arsenals and the growth of increasingly sophisticated delivery methods, raising the limits of global conflict to unprecedented heights. Meanwhile, the arms competition between superpowers fueled the development of old-fashioned weapons programs, from sophisticated fighter planes and stealth technology to precision-guided munitions and unmanned aerial vehicles, reshaping the battlefield and the character of combat in the current era.

In the twenty-first century, the quick pace of scientific advancement remains to drive the progress of weaponry, with advances in robotics, synthetic intelligence, and cyber warfare revolutionizing the functions and strategies of modern militaries. The expansion of asymmetric threats, from terrorism to insurgencies, has resulted in the progress of counterinsurgency strategies and specific weapons systems built to beat non-state personalities in unconventional conflicts. Meanwhile, the rise of cyber rivalry and the weaponization of data create new challenges and threats within an significantly interconnected earth, blurring the lines between conventional combat and the digital domain.