Age exploration and colonization observed the expansion of firearms and the rise of naval combat, as European forces vied for supremacy on the high seas. The growth of ship-mounted cannons and the invention of naval techniques such as the broadside volley changed naval combat, surrounding the span of record and paving just how for the increase of maritime empires. Meanwhile, on land, the musket and their derivatives became the conventional armament of infantry causes, ushering in the time of massed firepower and range infantry tactics.

The industrial innovation heralded a fresh age of scientific invention and mass manufacturing, transforming the nature of combat and the features of weapons. The rifled barrel improved reliability and range, as the breech-loading armi softgun increased the rate of fireplace, ushering in the age of repeating rifles and equipment guns. The development of mechanized warfare found the introduction of armored vehicles, aircraft, and submarines, revolutionizing the battlefield and complicated standard notions of warfare. The horrors of trench combat in World War I showcased the harmful power of contemporary weaponry, as unit guns, artillery, and chemical tools unleashed unprecedented destruction on an international scale.

The twentieth century experienced the beginning of the nuclear era and the horrifying specter of nuclear rivalry, whilst the invention of the atomic blast forever altered the calculus of struggle and introduced the chance of annihilation on a planetary scale. The Cool Conflict found the proliferation of nuclear arsenals and the growth of increasingly superior delivery programs, raising the limits of global conflict to unprecedented heights. Meanwhile, the arms competition between superpowers fueled the growth of mainstream tools methods, from sophisticated fighter jets and stealth technology to precision-guided munitions and unmanned aerial vehicles, reshaping the battlefield and the type of warfare in the present day era.

In the twenty-first century, the quick velocity of technical invention remains to operate a vehicle the development of weaponry, with improvements in robotics, synthetic intelligence, and internet rivalry revolutionizing the features and strategies of contemporary militaries. The proliferation of asymmetric threats, from terrorism to insurgencies, has led to the growth of counterinsurgency strategies and specific weapons programs made to combat non-state stars in abnormal conflicts. Meanwhile, the increase of cyber rivalry and the weaponization of information present new issues and threats in an increasingly interconnected world, blurring the lines between standard combat and the digital domain.