What is the most powerful weapon in the world? The most powerful weapons in the world: firearms, nuclear weapons, small arms The best weapons in the world of mass destruction

If you want peace, prepare for war. So says the wisdom familiar to everyone. It is not surprising that many countries spend huge amounts of money on creating and developing the most advanced the latest weapons. Most often, the purpose of such means is more psychological than practical. In this article we will talk about what the most powerful weapon in the world, as well as about the ten most destructive military weapons. Fortunately, these types of weapons were rarely used in real combat conditions, ensuring the security of their state and discouraging the desire of neighbors to carry out aggression against it.

First place - Tsar Bomba

The most dangerous weapon in the world was produced in the middle of the last century in our country. We are talking about the so-called Tsar Bomba. This is a very powerful hydrogen bomb, which was tested at one of the test sites. A year and a half after the tests, the leadership of the Soviet Union officially announced the presence of a bomb with a yield of one hundred megatons. For comparison, the most powerful projectile in the United States was about four times weaker. Availability of this weapon played a big role in the Cold War. It was the risk of very severe damage that restrained the two opposing camps from starting hostilities.

Second place - Castle Bravo

American thermonuclear bomb, which was created as a counterweight soviet tsar bomb. Its power is much less, but still quite terrifying - 15 megatons. This force is capable of wiping out a large metropolis from the face of the earth.

The bomb was a projectile with two stages. In addition to thermonuclear fuel, it also used a solid lithium isotope, enclosed in a uranium shell. More than ten thousand people watched the test explosion of the weapon, and ships, planes, and specially fortified bunkers were used as observation posts.

The explosion itself took place on March 1, 1954. The weapon turned out to be so strong that its actual power exceeded the planned result several times. The explosion left a giant crater with a diameter of almost 2 kilometers.

Third place - Atomic bomb

The most famous formidable superweapon in the world. The first atomic bomb was created in the USA in 1945. After successful tests, the American military command rushed to test the weapon in the ongoing war with Japan.

As a result, two Japanese cities were destroyed - Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The whole world was horrified by the power of the new weapon. Luckily this was the only thing combat use nuclear weapons for the history of mankind. In 1950, the Soviet Union created its atomic weapons, thanks to which a certain balance has emerged in the world, guaranteeing mutual destruction in the event of a new hot war.

Such “cool” weapons necessitated the development of means of delivery. For strategic strikes, ballistic missiles and, much less frequently, strategic bombers are used.

Improving systems air defense, which gained the ability to very effectively shoot down aircraft, priority went to missiles. To this day, they are the main means of delivering nuclear warheads.

Fourth place - “Topol-M”

A modern missile system, which is the flagship of the Russian army. The three-stage missile is capable of bypassing any type of air defense existing today. The projectile, which can also carry a nuclear charge, is capable of hitting a target at a distance of 11 thousand kilometers. In service Russian troops There are about a hundred similar complexes.

It is worth saying that the development of Topol-M began in the Soviet Union in the 80s. The first tests were carried out in 1994. Of the 16 test launches, only one ended unsuccessfully. Despite the fact that the weapon has already entered combat duty, it continues to be improved. The direction of modernization is the head part of the rocket.

Fifth place - chemical weapons

First this type mass weapons was used during the First World War. Then German troops on the approaches to the city of Ypres collided with the Russian corps. In order to win, the Germans sprayed chlorine over the Russian positions. More than 15 thousand people died due to poisoning. During World War II, deadly chemical weapons were used quite frequently by Japanese forces.

There are several types chemical weapons:

• Nerve-paralytic nature. Affects the human nervous system. Used for lightning-fast output large quantity troops from the battle.
• Blistering character. They affect humans by penetration through their skin (and/or respiratory system).
• Generally toxic. They disrupt the transport of oxygen to cells.
• Asphyxiating nature - affects a person through the respiratory system

There are examples of use in battle and others chemical substances, which are not lethal, but can affect the combat effectiveness of soldiers. These include odorants that create an unbearable odor and defoliants that cause leaf fall (used by the US Army during vietnam war).

The last use of chemical weapons occurred in 2013 in the Syrian Republic during the civil war. In this case, both parties shift responsibility for its use to each other.

Today, chemical weapons are prohibited by the Geneva and Hague Conventions. At the time of writing Russian Federation, which is a party to the conventions, destroyed about 80% of all chemical weapons accumulated over the years of production in the USSR.

Sixth place - Laser weapons

A fairly modern type of weapon, but still poorly developed. At the end of 2010, scientists from the USA reported the successful completion of relevant tests.

According to information released to open sources, a laser beam with a power of 30 megawatts hit several drones at a distance of 4 kilometers. The successful use of laser weapons against ballistic missiles was also reported.

Seventh place - Biological weapons

Another rather scary weapon. In ancient times, some peoples tried to achieve military success by spreading the plague to certain territories. The most commonly used weapon is the anthrax virus. Everyone knows of cases where the virus was spread using regular letters. During the Second World War, biological weapons were actively tested and used by the Japanese.

Entomological and genetic weapons are also considered types of biological weapons. The first is to use various insects to attack the enemy, and the second allows you to selectively attack some people based on a certain genetic trait.

Modern views biological weapons, as a rule, are a mixture of different viruses. This is done in order to increase the likelihood of death of the people attacked. It is also common to use strains that are not transmitted between people, so that the disease does not spread beyond the attacked areas.

Eighth place - Multiple Launch Rocket System "Smerch"

A formidable weapon, which is a descendant of the famous “Katyusha”, which caused panic in the ranks of the fascist troops on the fields of the Great Patriotic War. The system prepares for its salvo in just a few minutes. Missiles easily destroy both heavy armored vehicles and infantry over a vast area.

This missile system is used by the armies of thirteen countries, including Venezuela, the United United Arab Emirates, India, Kuwait, Peru. The cost of one car on the market is about 12.5 million US dollars. The work of one complex can stop the movement of an entire division.

Ninth place - Neutron bomb

This type of weapon affects only living organisms. It is much less destructive than conventional atomic weapons, although it has a number of common features with him. Being the development of American scientists, neutron bombs were in service with the American army for some time, but today they are not used.

This type of weapon turned out to be ineffective due to the fact that the atmosphere of our planet actively absorbs neutrons, due to which the power of such a projectile is reduced. As a rule, their power did not exceed 5-6 kilotons of TNT.

Neutron charges have found much greater use in missile defense systems. An anti-missile exploding in the path of an enemy projectile created a stream of neutrons that disrupted its movement.

Also today, neutron guns exist and are being developed. This type of weapon is not related to nuclear weapons. It is a generator that creates a directed flow of neutron particles. The power of such guns depends on the power of the generator itself and is limited only by this indicator. Today, similar guns serve in the armies of the United States, France and Russia.

Tenth place - RS-20 Voevoda intercontinental ballistic missile

Soviet look strategic weapons. In NATO countries, this type of missile was nicknamed Satan because of its exceptional destructive properties. “Voevoda” even ended up on the pages of the book of records as the most dangerous ballistic missile.

The weapon is capable of hitting a target at a distance of 11 thousand kilometers. The missile warheads were equipped with special means to bypass many missile defense systems, which made Satan an even more dangerous weapon.

Many people believe that the arms race is an attribute of only one period of time in the twentieth century associated with the Cold War. However, if you think globally, it began long before that. Its ancestor can be called the war of shield and sword, that is, the build-up of defense and firepower.

The concept of the most powerful weapon

To figure out what the most powerful weapons in the world are, you should introduce certain categories, so to speak, classes of weapons. And divide them according to destructive power exclusively within their class. This is necessary because comparing a nuclear bomb and a sniper rifle is simply stupid and illogical.

So, we present to you the top most powerful weapons in the world. This article discusses nuclear and weapon, as well as firearms. Before each rating list there is an explanation of how this class differs from another.

The most powerful firearm in the world

Firearms use the principle of projectile acceleration using the explosion of a gunpowder charge. Since the invention of gunpowder and the introduction of mass production is the most diverse type of weapon. Divided into many types:

• Small arms - this includes various pistols, machine guns, submachine guns, rifles, shotguns, carbines, etc.
• Artillery - this type includes artillery pieces, aviation, coastal and a class that is completely incomprehensible in terms of lethal power - high-power and especially high-power artillery.
• Guns.
• Howitzers.
• Mortars.
• Grenade launchers.
• Mortars.

In order to understand what the most powerful weapons in the world are among firearms, it is necessary to compile a list in order of increasing destructive power. It will feature exclusively superguns. This is because if you give examples from other classes firearms, the spread of calibers and destructive power will be very large.

Firearm rating

In fourth place on the list is the Gamma Mörser, a German super-heavy howitzer of 420 mm caliber.

The first copy was published back in the thirty-seventh year of the last century. Only one such weapon was used during World War II. The reason for this is that, according to the Treaty of Versailles, Germany was supposed to destroy all its weapons, but one copy was hidden. And only he of the entire party participated in the military conflict.

Third place goes to the Obusier de 520 modèle 1916, a French railway howitzer. The caliber was 520 mm, and a total of two guns were built. Trouble happened to the first one - a shell exploded inside the breech and completely disabled the entire howitzer. The second one was captured by the Germans during the French campaign in 1940. However, two years later it also failed for the same reason. It was unsuitable for repair and was captured by the troops of the Soviet Union.

The second place is occupied by "Dora" - a super-heavy, unparalleled weapon on a railway base. Built in 1941 and named after the wife of the chief designer. It had truly destructive power, which is not surprising given the caliber of 807 mm.

During World War II, it was carefully hidden by German troops, and the Allies for a long time They could not understand what was causing them such significant damage. In April 1945, the remains of two guns, the Dora and the Gustav, were discovered in Bavaria and subsequently sent for melting down.

The first place is occupied by the Babylon project. He could be the most powerful artillery piece in the world if it were built. A caliber of a thousand (just think about this figure!) millimeters is incredible destructive power. This weapon can demolish skyscrapers. It was conceived during the Iraq-Iran War. Fortunately, its construction did not take place, as some parts were captured and stolen to prevent the creation of this giant.

The most powerful small arms in the world

Small arms involve the use of a bullet, shot or similar objects as a striking element. According to GOST, the definition of small arms includes all barrel weapons with a caliber of 20 mm and less. Basically, types of small arms are distinguished by the method of transferring energy to the projectile:

• Pneumatic - uses compressed air from a cylinder or by pumping.
• Electric - a theoretical weapon of the future, based on projectile acceleration using an electromagnetic field.
• Mechanical - kinetic energy is transmitted using a very strong spring.
• Firearms - the basis for everything is powder charge, which is in the sleeve or charged separately.

In terms of destructive power, small arms come first on this list. In order to figure out exactly what the most powerful small arms weapon in the world is, we present to your attention a rating of the most lethal weapons.

Small arms rating

Fourth place in the ranking is occupied by the famous Colt “Peacemaker” - Colt Single Action Army. Legend of the Wild West. It was produced in many calibers, including rifle calibers. The weight of this revolver is almost four kilograms - this is done in order to reduce recoil.

In third place is the Pfeifer Zeliska, a super-heavy revolver produced in Austria.

The reason for its presence in this rating is its use as the main cartridge of the 600 Nitro Express - the largest pistol cartridge in the world. It is used in savannas for hunting elephants. The revolver's recoil is such that for normal shooting its weight is more than eight kilograms.

Second place goes to OSV-96 and similar weapons. This is the most powerful sniper rifle that exists. Its muzzle energy is almost 19 kilojoules, sighting range shooting - almost two kilometers. It is in service with the armies of the CIS countries and India. Designed to destroy lightly armored targets at long distances.

The first place on this list is deservedly occupied by the "Utochnitsa" - a shotgun of monstrous caliber, used, as the name suggests, for hunting ducks. The length of the barrel sometimes reached four meters, and the caliber - five centimeters. With its help, hunting was carried out not on a single individual, but, thanks to almost half a kilogram of shot, on a small flock at once. Handheld shooting for of this weapon was not possible in principle. Therefore, it was mounted on a boat; this also made it possible to reduce the recoil effect.

A Brief History of Nuclear Weapons

Nuclear weapons are the newest of all weapons massacre of people. Its destructive power is enough not only for a house, but also for a million-plus city. Add to this radioactive vapors and an electromagnetic pulse - and you get the most powerful weapon in the world.

The history of nuclear weapons began at the end of World War II, when German scientists were targeted during secret forays into enemy territory. This was from both America and the Soviet Union. Development began almost simultaneously.

However, only America has used nuclear weapons for military purposes. The result of the use was the destruction of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Seeing a force that could destroy entire cities, countries that did not have such weapons were horrified. This was the beginning of a silent conflict called cold war. In the end, this incident was resolved, and first, in 1968, a treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons was concluded, and thirty years later a ban on their testing was also established.

The most powerful nuclear weapon in the world

The fourth and third places are shared by the bombs “Kid” and “Fat Man”. They were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of World War II by the United States of America. This was done in order, firstly, to show their power, and secondly, to quickly end the military conflict with Japan, since the inaccessibility of America made it too protracted and economically unprofitable. The explosions of both bombs were equal to 21 kilotons of TNT. The epicenters of the explosions are still uninhabitable and remain monuments to man’s desire to destroy.

In second place is Castle Bravo - again American bomb, but this time thermonuclear. Is the most powerful bomb, which the United States has experienced throughout its history. The energy released during the explosion was fifteen megatons and completely destroyed the area of ​​the atoll where the tests took place.

The first place, undoubtedly, is occupied by the AN602, also known as the Tsar Bomba. This is the most powerful weapon ever created by man in its entire history. The tests were carried out in the sixty-first year on Novaya Zemlya.

The explosion was so strong that it instantly burned more than three meters age-old ice and turned the sand that was underneath him into glass. The blast wave circled three times Earth, and four hundred kilometers from the epicenter in the village, all wooden buildings were demolished. Considering that the explosion was only half the calculated power, according to experts, the detonation full strength such a bomb would cause cracks in earth's crust and major natural disasters.

Bottom line

Throughout its history, humanity has come up with many ways to destroy itself. However, of all the inventions, perhaps only the nuclear bomb can cope with this task most effectively. It is awarded the title of “the most powerful weapon in the world.”

January 16, 1963 Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev informed the world community that a new weapon of terrible destructive power had appeared in the USSR - the hydrogen bomb. Today is a review of the most destructive weapons.
Hydrogen "Tsar Bomb"

The most powerful hydrogen bomb in human history was exploded at the test site New Earth approximately 1.5 years before Khrushchev’s official statement about the USSR having a 100-megaton hydrogen bomb. The main purpose of the tests is demonstration military power THE USSR. At that time, the thermonuclear bomb created in the USA was almost 4 times weaker.

The Tsar Bomba exploded at an altitude of 4,200 m above sea level 188 seconds after being dropped from a bomber. The nuclear mushroom of the explosion rose to a height of 67 km, and the radius fireball the gap was 4.6 km. The shock wave from the explosion circled the globe 3 times, and the ionization of the atmosphere created radio interference within a radius of hundreds of kilometers for 40 minutes. The temperature on the surface of the earth below the epicenter of the explosion was so high that the stones turned to ash. It is worth noting that the “Tsar Bomba”, or as it was also called, “Kuzka’s Mother”, was quite clean - 97% of the power came from the thermonuclear fusion reaction, which practically does not create radioactive contamination.

Atomic bomb

On July 16, 1945, the first explosive nuclear device, a single-stage plutonium-based “Gadget” bomb, was tested in the desert near Alamogordo in the United States of America.


In August 1945, the Americans demonstrated the power of their new weapons to the whole world: American bombers dropped atomic bombs over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The USSR officially announced the presence atomic bomb March 8, 1950, thereby ending the US monopoly on the world's most destructive weapons.

Chemical weapon

The first case in history of the use of chemical weapons in war can be considered April 22, 1915, when Germany used chlorine against the Belgian city of Ypres. Russian soldiers. From a huge cloud of chlorine released from cylinders installed on the front flank of German positions, 15 thousand people were severely poisoned, of which 5 thousand died.

In World War II, Japan used chemical weapons many times during its conflict with China. During the bombing of the Chinese city of Woqu, the Japanese dropped 1,000 chemical shells, and later another 2,500 aerial bombs near Dingxiang. Chemical weapons were used by the Japanese until the end of the war. In total, 50 thousand people died from toxic chemicals, both among the military and among the civilian population.

The Americans took the next step in the use of chemical weapons. During the Vietnam War, they very actively used toxic substances, leaving the civilian population no chance of salvation. Since 1963, 72 million liters of defoliants have been sprayed over Vietnam. They were used to destroy forests in which Vietnamese partisans were hiding, and during bombing settlements. Dioxin, which was present in all mixtures, settled in the body and caused liver and blood diseases, and deformities in newborns. According to statistics, from chemical attacks About 4.8 million people were affected, some of them after the end of the war.

Laser weapons

Laser gun

In 2010, the Americans announced that they had successfully tested laser weapons. According to media reports, four unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down by a 32-megawatt laser cannon off the coast of California. The planes were shot down from a distance of more than three kilometers. Previously, the Americans reported that they had successfully tested an air-launched laser, destroying ballistic missile.

Agency for missile defense The United States notes that laser weapons will be in great demand, since they can be used to strike several targets at once at the speed of light at a distance of several hundred kilometers.

Biological weapons

Letter with white anthrax powder

The beginning of the use of biological weapons is attributed to ancient world, when in 1500 BC. The Hittites sent a plague to enemy lands. Many armies understood the power of biological weapons and left infected corpses in enemy fortresses. It is believed that the 10 plagues of the Bible are not vengeful acts of God, but biological warfare campaigns. One of the most dangerous viruses in the world is anthrax. In 2001, letters containing white powder began arriving at US Senate offices. There was a rumor that these were spores of the deadly bacterium Bacillus anthracis, which causes anthrax. 22 people were infected and 5 were killed. The deadly bacterium lives in the soil. A person can become infected with anthrax by touching, inhaling, or ingesting the spore.

MLRS "Smerch"

Jet system volley fire"Tornado"

Jet system experts call the Smerch multiple rocket launcher the most terrible weapon after nuclear bomb. It takes only 3 minutes to prepare a 12-barreled Smerch for battle, and 38 seconds for a full salvo. "Smerch" allows you to conduct effective fight with modern tanks and other armored vehicles. Missile shells can be launched from the cockpit of a combat vehicle or using a remote control. Their combat characteristics“Smerch” stores in a wide temperature range – from +50 C to -50 C and at any time of the day.

Missile system "Topol-M"

The modernized Topol-M missile system forms the core of the entire group missile forces strategic purpose. The Topol-M intercontinental strategic complex is a 3-stage monoblock solid-fuel missile, “packed” in a transport and launch container. It can be stored in this packaging for 15 years. The service life of the missile system, which is produced in both silo and ground versions, is more than 20 years. The one-piece Topol-M warhead can be replaced with a multiple warhead, carrying three independent warheads at once. This makes the missile invulnerable to air defense systems. The current agreements do not allow Russia to do this, but it is possible that the situation may change.

Specifications:

hull length with head part – 22.7 m,
diameter – 1.86 m,
starting weight – 47.2 tons,
throwable combat load weight 1200 kg,
flight range – 11 thousand km.

Neutron bomb

Neutron bomb by Samuel Cohen

The neutron bomb, created by the American scientist Samuel Cohen, destroys only living organisms and causes minimal destruction. The shock wave from a neutron bomb accounts for only 10-20% of the energy released, whereas in a conventional atomic explosion it accounts for about 50% of the energy.

Cohen himself said that his brainchild is “the most moral weapon that has ever been created.” In 1978, the USSR proposed to ban the production neutron weapons, but this project did not find support in the West. In 1981, the United States began producing neutron charges, but today they are not in service.

Intercontinental ballistic missile RS-20 "Voevoda" (Satana)

Voevoda intercontinental ballistic missiles, created in the 1970s, terrify a potential enemy simply by the fact of their existence. SS-18 (model 5), as the Voevoda is classified, was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile. It carries a 10,750 kiloton charge of independent homing warheads. Foreign analogues“Satan” has not yet been created.

Specifications:
hull length with head part – 34.3 m,
diameter – 3 m,
throwable combat load weight 8800 kg,
flight range – more than 11 thousand km.

Rocket "Sarmat"

In 2018 – 2020 Russian army will receive the latest heavy ballistic missile "Sarmat". Technical data of the missile have not yet been disclosed, but, according to military experts, new rocket surpasses in its characteristics the complex with the Voevoda heavy missile.

Fantasy and imagine the wars of the future: there are no tanks or machine guns, and opponents fire at each other from electromagnetic guns with shells that can reach each other in a few minutes. opposite side Earth. Some of these plans have already been implemented, so future generations will not be bored. But the most dangerous weapon in the world has probably not even been invented yet.

1. Tsar Bomba

The Soviet Union detonated the most powerful thermonuclear charge at a test site located on Novaya Zemlya, and only a year and a half later, N. Khrushchev “pleased” the world with the news that the USSR had a hydrogen bomb with a capacity of 100 megatons.
The political purpose of the tests was to show America its military power, since it was able to create a hydrogen bomb 4 times less powerful. The test was airborne - the “Tsar Bomb” (at that time it was called “Kuzka’s mother” in Khrushchev’s style) exploded at an altitude of 4.2 km.
The mushroom of the explosion rose into the stratosphere (67 kilometers), having a diameter of 9.2 kilometers. The shock wave of the explosion circled the globe three times, and for another 40 minutes after it, the ionized atmosphere spoiled the quality of radio communications for hundreds of kilometers around. The heat from the explosion directly below the epicenter was so strong that it turned even stones to ash. Fortunately, this gigantic explosion was quite “clean”, since 97% of the energy was released due to thermonuclear fusion, and it, unlike nuclear decay, almost does not pollute the territory with radiation.

2. Castle Bravo

This was the American answer to “Kuzka’s mother”, but much more “thin” - some measly 15 megatons. But if you think about it, this figure should be impressive. With the help of such a bomb it would be possible to destroy a large metropolis. Structurally, it was a two-stage munition, consisting of a thermonuclear charge (solid lithium deuteride) and a uranium shell.
The explosion was carried out on Bikini Atoll, and a total of 10,000 people watched it: from a special bunker 32 km from the explosion site, from ships and planes. The force of the explosion exceeded the calculated one by 2.5 times due to an underestimation of the fact that one of the lithium isotopes, which were considered ballast, also participated in the reaction. The explosion was above ground (the charge was in a special bunker) and left behind a giant crater, but the main thing is that it was incredibly “dirty” - it contaminated a large space with radiation. She suffered a lot local residents, Japanese sailors and even the American military themselves.

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3. Atomic bomb

This type of weapon began a new chapter in military affairs. As you know, the Americans were the first to create an atomic bomb, and on July 16, 1945, they conducted its first test in the desert in New Mexico. It was a single-stage plutonium device called the Gadget. Not satisfied with the first successful test, the US military rushed almost immediately to test it in a real war.
We can say that the tests in Hiroshima and Nagasaki were successful - both cities were destroyed, thousands of people died. But the world was horrified by the power of the new weapon and who owned it. That use of nuclear weapons on real targets, fortunately, turned out to be the only one. In 1950, the USSR acquired its own atomic bomb, as a result of which a balance was created in the world, based on inevitable retaliation and mutual nuclear destruction in the event of a “hot war”.
Having acquired such a powerful weapon, the two countries had to resolve issues of its prompt delivery to the target. As a result, strategic bombers, ballistic missiles and submarines were developed. Since the air defense system began to outperform aviation, preference was given to missiles, which are now the main means of delivery for nuclear charges.

4. Topol-M

This modern missile system is the best delivery vehicle in the Russian army. Its 3-stage missiles are invulnerable to any modern look Air defense. A missile designed to carry nuclear warheads is ready to hit a target 11,000 km away. There are approximately 100 such complexes in the Russian army. The development of Topol-M began in the USSR, and its first tests took place in 1994, with only one of 16 launches ending in failure. Although the system is already on combat duty, it continues to be improved, in particular, the missile’s warhead.

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5. Chemical weapons

The first mass use of chemical weapons in combat conditions occurred near the Belgian city of Ypres in April 1915. Then the Germans released clouds of chlorine at the enemy from cylinders pre-installed on the front line. Then 5 thousand died and 15 thousand French, who were unprepared for such a turn, were seriously poisoned. Then the armies of all countries dabbled in the use of mustard gas, phosgene and bromine, not always getting the expected result.
The Japanese next world war have repeatedly used chemical weapons in combat operations in China. For example, when bombing the city of Woqu, they dropped a thousand chemical shells on it, and another 2,500 aerial bombs were dropped on Dingxiang. The Japanese used chemical weapons until the end of the war. According to rough estimates, about 50,000 soldiers and civilians died from the use of chemical weapons.
The next large-scale use of chemical weapons was distinguished by the Americans in Vietnam, who in the 60s sprayed 72 million liters of defoliants over its jungles, with the help of which they sought to destroy the vegetation in the thick of which the Vietnamese partisans, who so annoyed the Yankees, were hiding. These mixtures contained dioxin, which had a cumulative effect, resulting in people developing blood diseases and internal organs, genetic mutations occurred. Almost 5 million Vietnamese suffered from American chemical attacks, and the number of victims continued to grow after the end of the war.
The last time chemical weapons were used in Syria was in 2013, and the conflicting parties blamed each other for this. As we can see, the ban on chemical weapons by the Hague and Geneva conventions does not stop the military much. Although Russia destroyed 80% of the chemical weapons reserves it inherited from the USSR.

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6. Laser weapons

This is largely a hypothetical weapon under development. Thus, in 2010, the Americans reported a successful test of a laser gun off the coast of California - a 32 MW device was able to shoot down 4 drones at a distance of over 3 km. If successful, such a weapon will be able to destroy targets located hundreds of kilometers from each other from space in a matter of seconds.

7. Biological weapons

In terms of antiquity, biological weapons rival cold weapons. So, one and a half thousand years BC. e. The Hittites struck their enemies with plague. Realizing the power of biological weapons, many armies, leaving fortresses, left infected corpses there. During World War II, in addition to chemical weapons, the Japanese did not disdain biological weapons.
The causative agent of anthrax is one of the most dangerous for humans. This bacterium lives for a long time in the ground. In 2001, letters containing white powder began to arrive in the American Parliament, and noise immediately began that these were anthrax spores. 22 people were infected, 5 of whom died. Most often, infection can occur through breaks in the skin, but it is also possible to become infected by swallowing or inhaling spores of the bacillus.
Now genetic and entomological weapons have been equated to biological weapons. The second is associated with the use of blood-sucking or otherwise attacking human insects, and the first is capable of selectively acting on groups of people with a certain genetic characteristic. Modern biological munitions usually use strains of different pathogens in order to increase the mortality rate among people exposed to them. Preference is given to strains that are not transmitted between people, so that an attack on a specific target does not turn into a large-scale epidemic.

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8. MLRS “Smerch”

The ancestor of this formidable weapon was the famous "Katyusha", which was used with great success against German army. After the atomic bomb, this is, according to experts, the most terrible weapon. To prepare a 12-barreled Smerch for battle, it takes only 3 minutes, and a salvo is carried out in 38 seconds. This system effectively destroys modern tanks and other armored vehicles. Missiles can be launched from a remote control or directly from the car's cabin. “Smerch” can be successfully used in extreme heat and severe cold, at any time of the day.
This weapon is not selective - it destroys armored vehicles and personnel over a large area. Russia exports this type of weapons to 13 countries, including the UAE, Venezuela, India, Peru, and Kuwait. The machine with installation is not too expensive for its effectiveness - approximately 12.5 million dollars. But the work of one such installation can stop the advance of an enemy division.

9. Neutron bomb

American Samuel Cohen came up with the neutron bomb as a version of a nuclear weapon with minimal destructive power, but maximum radiation that kills all living things. The shock wave here accounts for only 10-20% of the energy released during the explosion (in an atomic explosion, half the explosion energy is spent on destruction).
After developing the neutron bomb, the Americans put it into service with their army, but after some time they abandoned this option. The action of the neutron bomb turned out to be ineffective, since the released neutrons are actively absorbed by the atmosphere, and the effect of their action is local. Moreover, the neutron charges had minimal power - only 5-6 kilotons. But neutron charges were much more useful in missile defense systems. A neutron anti-missile exploding near an enemy aircraft or missile creates a powerful flow of neutrons, disabling all electronics and controls of the target.
Another direction in the development of this idea was neutron guns, which are a generator capable of creating a directed flow of neutrons (actually an accelerator). How more powerful generator, the more powerful the neutron flux it can provide. Similar weapons currently possessed by the armies of the United States, Russia and France.

10. Intercontinental ballistic missile RS-20 “Voevoda”

This is also a Soviet model of strategic weapons. NATO officials nicknamed this missile “Satan” for its exceptional destructive power. For the same reason, she was included in the ubiquitous Guinness Book of Records. This ballistic missile can hit targets at a distance of 11,000 kilometers. Its multiple warheads are capable of bypassing missile defense systems, which makes the RS-20 seem even scarier.

On January 16, 1963, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev informed the world community that a new weapon of terrible destructive power had appeared in the USSR - the hydrogen bomb.

Today is a review of the most destructive weapons.

Hydrogen "Tsar Bomb"

Explosion of the Tsar Bomba (reconstruction).

The most powerful hydrogen bomb in the history of mankind was exploded at the Novaya Zemlya test site approximately 1.5 years before Khrushchev’s official announcement that the USSR had a 100-megaton hydrogen bomb. The main purpose of the tests is to demonstrate the military power of the USSR. At that time, the thermonuclear bomb created in the USA was almost 4 times weaker.

The Tsar Bomba exploded at an altitude of 4,200 m above sea level 188 seconds after being dropped from a bomber. The nuclear mushroom of the explosion rose to a height of 67 km, and the radius of the fireball of the explosion was 4.6 km. The shock wave from the explosion circled the globe 3 times, and the ionization of the atmosphere created radio interference within a radius of hundreds of kilometers for 40 minutes. The temperature on the surface of the earth below the epicenter of the explosion was so high that the stones turned to ash. It is worth noting that the “Tsar Bomba”, or as it was also called, “Kuzka’s Mother”, was quite clean - 97% of the power came from the thermonuclear fusion reaction, which practically does not create radioactive contamination.

Atomic bomb

On July 16, 1945, the first explosive nuclear device, a single-stage plutonium-based “Gadget” bomb, was tested in the desert near Alamogordo in the United States of America.

In August 1945, the Americans demonstrated the power of their new weapons to the whole world: American bombers dropped atomic bombs over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The USSR officially announced the presence of the atomic bomb on March 8, 1950, thereby ending the US monopoly on the world's most destructive weapon.

Chemical weapon

The first case in history of the use of chemical weapons in war can be considered April 22, 1915, when Germany used chlorine against Russian soldiers near the Belgian city of Ypres. From a huge cloud of chlorine released from cylinders installed on the front flank of German positions, 15 thousand people were severely poisoned, of which 5 thousand died.

In World War II, Japan used chemical weapons many times during its conflict with China. During the bombing of the Chinese city of Woqu, the Japanese dropped 1,000 chemical shells, and later another 2,500 aerial bombs near Dingxiang. Chemical weapons were used by the Japanese until the end of the war. In total, 50 thousand people died from toxic chemicals, both among the military and among the civilian population.

The Americans took the next step in the use of chemical weapons. During the Vietnam War, they very actively used toxic substances, leaving the civilian population no chance of salvation. Since 1963, 72 million liters of defoliants have been sprayed over Vietnam. They were used to destroy forests in which Vietnamese partisans were hiding, and during the bombing of populated areas. Dioxin, which was present in all mixtures, settled in the body and caused liver and blood diseases, and deformities in newborns. According to statistics, about 4.8 million people suffered from chemical attacks, some of them after the end of the war.

Laser weapons

In 2010, the Americans announced that they had successfully tested laser weapons. According to media reports, four unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down by a 32-megawatt laser cannon off the coast of California. The planes were shot down from a distance of more than three kilometers. Previously, the Americans reported that they had successfully tested an air-launched laser, destroying a ballistic missile in the acceleration section of its trajectory.

The US Missile Defense Agency notes that laser weapons will be in great demand because they can be used to strike multiple targets at once at the speed of light at a distance of several hundred kilometers.

Biological weapons

The beginning of the use of biological weapons dates back to the ancient world, when in 1500 BC. The Hittites sent a plague to enemy lands. Many armies understood the power of biological weapons and left infected corpses in enemy fortresses. It is believed that the 10 plagues of the Bible are not vengeful acts of God, but biological warfare campaigns. One of the most dangerous viruses in the world is anthrax. In 2001, letters containing white powder began arriving at US Senate offices. There was a rumor that these were spores of the deadly bacterium Bacillus anthracis, which causes anthrax. 22 people were infected and 5 were killed. The deadly bacterium lives in the soil. A person can become infected with anthrax by touching, inhaling, or ingesting the spore.

MLRS "Smerch"

Experts call the Smerch multiple launch rocket system the most terrible weapon after a nuclear bomb. It takes only 3 minutes to prepare a 12-barreled Smerch for battle, and 38 seconds for a full salvo. "Smerch" allows you to effectively fight modern tanks and other armored vehicles. Missile shells can be launched from the cockpit of a combat vehicle or using a remote control. “Smerch” retains its combat characteristics in a wide temperature range - from +50 C to -50 C and at any time of the day.

Missile system "Topol-M"

The modernized Topol-M missile system forms the core of the entire group of strategic missile forces. The Topol-M intercontinental strategic complex is a 3-stage monoblock solid-fuel missile, “packed” in a transport and launch container. It can be stored in this packaging for 15 years. The service life of the missile system, which is produced in both silo and ground versions, is more than 20 years. The one-piece Topol-M warhead can be replaced with a multiple warhead, carrying three independent warheads at once. This makes the missile invulnerable to air defense systems. The current agreements do not allow Russia to do this, but it is possible that the situation may change.

Specifications:

• body length with head part - 22.7 m,
• diameter - 1.86 m,
• starting weight - 47.2 tons,
• throwable combat load weight 1200 kg,
• flight range - 11 thousand km.

Mushroom cloud after the explosion.

Cohen himself said that his brainchild is “the most moral weapon that has ever been created.” In 1978, the USSR came up with a proposal to ban the production of neutron weapons, but this project did not find support in the West. In 1981, the United States began producing neutron charges, but today they are not in service.

Intercontinental ballistic missile RS-20 "Voevoda" (Satana)

Voevoda intercontinental ballistic missiles, created in the 1970s, terrify a potential enemy simply by the fact of their existence. SS-18 (model 5), as the Voevoda is classified, was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile. It carries a 10,750 kiloton charge of independent homing warheads. No foreign analogues of “Satan” have been created so far.

Specifications:

• hull length with head part – 34.3 m,
• diameter - 3 m,
• throwable combat load weight 8800 kg,
• flight range - more than 11 thousand km.

Rocket "Sarmat"

In 2018 – 2020, the Russian army will receive the latest heavy ballistic missile “Sarmat”. The technical data of the missile have not yet been disclosed, but, according to military experts, the new missile is superior in its characteristics to the complex with the Voevoda heavy missile.