Brave, disciplined, and armed to the teeth, the United States Army is a formidable force to be reckoned with in terms of military strength and capability. Equipped with some of the most advanced and powerful weaponry, this cutting-edge arsenal ensures that the US Army is prepared to face any threat in the world. With a legacy steeped in trials and innovations, here are 15 reasons why you shouldn’t dare to test the might of the US Army.
15. M2 .50 Caliber Machine Gun
Casting a long shadow over US Army history, the M2 “Ma Deuce” is still blasting away after nearly a century and countless wars. A testament to its remarkable design, the M2 .50 caliber machine gun is belt-fed, recoil-operated, and air-cooled. It provides suppressive fire for both offensive and defensive purposes and is capable of single-shot and automatic fire. In post-combat surveys, soldiers rate the M2 among the most effective weapon systems in their small arms arsenal.
14. Joint Light Tactical Vehicle
The JLTV is an extremely robust and versatile vehicle, offering an improved point of view, responsive suspension systems, increased power, and modern safety features. Lieutenant Colonel William Brokaw, 90th Missile Security Forces Squadron Commander, states that with a gross weight of roughly 22,500 lbs, the JLTV provides protection from improvised explosive devices and underbody blasts. Combining the mobility and transportability of a light vehicle with M-level protection, the vehicle can reach speeds greater than 70 mph. Made by Oshkosh Defense, it is built with a system called the TAK-4 intelligent independent suspension system, designed to increase off-road mobility in rigorous terrain.
13. MH-6 Little Bird
Flown by the elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, nicknamed the Nightstalkers, a special operations force of the US Army, the Little Bird is a small gunship capable of doing big damage. Tested and proven in combat, this light attack helicopter is armed with guns, Hellfire missiles, and 2.75-inch Hydra 70 rockets, providing armed helicopter support to both ground and air special operations. The “Killer Egg,” as it’s lovingly called by its operators, has a small size that makes it extremely agile and precise.
12. FGM-148 Javelin
No one can keep a straight face and ridicule the Javelin missile. Firing just a single round of the Javelin makes it evident that it is difficult to miss with it. The FGM-148 Javelin is a man-portable anti-tank system that has been in service with the US Army since 1996 and has been continuously upgraded. Its fire-and-forget design features automatic infrared guidance, allowing the user to seek cover immediately after launch. The Javelin has the distinction of being an “any known armor” weapon, meaning it can defeat any known armor.
11. C-RAM (Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar)
The C-RAM, also called the Centurion Weapon System, is a land-based Phalanx weapon. It can fire up to 4,500 rounds per minute, typically using 300 rounds per engagement at a cost of $27 per round, making the total cost per engagement $8,100. The idea is to blanket an area with large numbers of small projectiles to intercept and destroy incoming artillery, rocket, and mortar fire. As an area weapon, the Phalanx fires thousands of projectiles in rapid succession to neutralize the threat. The C-RAM has proven its effectiveness in combat, intercepting thousands of rockets, artillery, mortars, and drones since 2004. It remains active in combat operations today.
10. Stryker Armored Fighting Vehicle
The Stryker, first fielded shortly after the turn of the millennium, is an 8-wheeled, all-wheel-drive armored combat vehicle. There are 18 different variants of the Stryker. Some are built primarily to move infantry soldiers in and out of battle, while others are designed to carry weapons like 120 mm mortars to provide fire support. Other variants carry medium and large-caliber weapons for direct fire on enemy troops with 30 mm cannons. The Stryker is known for its mobility and speed, allowing it to traverse various terrains and support rapid deployment. Its advanced communications and network capabilities enable seamless integration into modern battlefield environments, ensuring that units can coordinate effectively in real time.
9. UH-60 Black Hawk
The iconic UH-60 has been the US Army’s frontline utility helicopter for the past 40-plus years. It serves as a primary transport and utility helicopter, capable of transporting troops, equipment, and supplies in both combat and non-combat scenarios. Today, the US military owns and operates more Black Hawks than any other rotorcraft, with more than 2,200 airframes in service. The Army still considers the Black Hawk to be one of America’s most important tools for expanding partner combat capacity and military capabilities.
8. Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle
The Bradley is a combat-proven platform that provides outstanding survivability, mobility, and lethality. It is an integral part of the US Army’s Armored Brigade Combat Team. Of the 2,200 Bradleys involved in Operation Desert Storm, only three were disabled. In fact, more enemy armored vehicles were destroyed by Bradleys than by Abrams tanks. This is not simply a battle taxi; the Bradley is a sophisticated weapons platform capable of providing tremendous firepower in direct support of the infantry.
7. M777 Howitzer
In 2005, the Army began fielding the M777, a much smaller, lighter, and more maneuverable towed cannon weapon than its predecessor. This 155 mm howitzer provides timely, accurate, and continuous firepower in support of Army infantry forces. With a crew of eight men, it can put out five rounds per minute at distances as great as 25 miles with the right munitions.
6. M109 Howitzer
When field artillery troops go into battle, their mission is to shoot, move, and communicate. The M109 Howitzer helps the US Army accomplish this mission through mobile, long-range indirect fire capable of striking adversaries beyond the horizon. The M109 is equipped with a 39-caliber 155 mm M284 cannon and has a firing range of 15 miles using unassisted rounds or 19 miles with assisted rounds. The vehicle carries a total of 39 rounds of ammunition. Additionally, it has the capability to fire Excalibur GPS-guided artillery ammunition, which provides a maximum firing range of 25 miles and a high degree of accuracy. This ability is particularly valuable when engaging enemy artillery positions or other high-value targets. Furthermore, the M109 is armed with a .50 caliber M2 machine gun, which comes with 500 rounds of ammunition.
5. AH-64 Apache
The AH-64 is a grunt’s best friend. Ask any infantry troop, and they will tell you that few things make a soldier feel safer on the ground than knowing an Apache helicopter is circling in the vicinity, monitoring the battlefield, and ready to pounce. Operated by a crew of two, the AH-64 Apache lives and dies by its weapon systems. The attack helicopter packs a heavy loadout, including a 30 mm M230 chain cannon, Hydra 70 rockets, AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, and more. What is great about the AH-64 is its loiter time. The attack helicopter can stay above a target for long durations, providing continuous surveillance and immediate strike capabilities. It makes up the bulk of the US Army’s attack rotary-wing capability.
4. M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS)
HIMARS stands as a combat-proven mainstay in the Army’s fleet of launchers and supports one of its top modernization priorities: long-range precision fires. Designed for joint early and forced entry expeditionary operations, HIMARS delivers high-volume destructive, suppressive, and counter-battery fires. Developed in the late 1990s for the US Army, it is the wheeled version of the M270 multiple launch rocket system. HIMARS can carry six 227 mm guided artillery rockets, which lock onto targets using GPS or infrared sensors, or one MGM-140 missile. This versatility gives the system an effective targeting range of 5 to 190 miles.
3. M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS)
Known as a legend in the field, the M270 is a highly mobile automated missile and rocket artillery system that offers manpower savings, massive firepower, and survivability due to its armor and shoot-and-scoot capability. The M270 launcher is designed for its three-man crew to drive to a firing site, stop, conduct fire missions, and quickly depart. An entire 12 GMLRS rocket load can be ripple-fired in less than one minute, and it can also launch four Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM) or two ATACMS. Each rocket or missile is automatically fired by the fire control system, which re-aims after each shot. The crew can rapidly reload using two six-pack launch pod containers. The launcher’s position-determining system enables precise location tracking using a stretched Bradley chassis. This combat-proven launcher offers MLRS cross-country capability comparable to the M1 tank.
2. M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank
Nothing strikes fear into the hearts of America’s enemies quite like the sight of an M1 Abrams tank rumbling in their direction. It is a supremely lethal machine equipped with a 120 mm smoothbore cannon that can turn a man to mist from up to 2 miles away. Those lucky or quick enough to escape that particular fate still have the Abrams .50 caliber and M240 machine gun turrets to contend with. The Abrams tank has been so massively upgraded over the years that the 1980s-era war machine is now almost an entirely new vehicle. Interestingly, alongside the weapons and technology-related reasons why the Abrams is still so relevant to modern war, there is another clear reason why the tank is not likely to go anywhere anytime soon: the need for heavy armor.
1. Patriot Missile
Considered one of the United States’ best air defense weapons, the Patriot was originally designed as an anti-aircraft system. However, newer variants are capable of engaging ballistic and cruise missiles, loitering munitions, and aircraft. The Patriot is a guided missile that uses ground-based radar to surveil, track, and engage targets. An incoming missile could be as far away as 50 miles, and the Patriot system’s radar can lock onto it at that distance. The missile would not be visible from the ground, much less identifiable. Once the Patriot missile is launched, it is tracked by the phased array radar set. As the interceptor missile approaches the target, its active seeker will steer it to the target. A PAC-2 Patriot missile will detonate in the vicinity of the threat missile, whereas a PAC-3 will seek to impact the warhead of the threat ballistic missile.
