![]() ![]() Prior to World War 1, the hand grenade was primarily considered a siege-type weapon for attacking enemies behind fortified positions and not so much a direct-contact weapon. ![]() Hand grenades proved useful offensive and defensive weapons and could be used for psychological effect, suppression effect, to dislodge an entrenched enemy or maim/kill said enemy. One other practical weapon utilized during this period became the hand grenade and both sides featured this implement prominently. As such, the war turned into a game of "technology chess" as each side attempted to outdo the other in turn. The war had bogged down into a stalemate of static warfare which required warplanners to discover new ways to dislodge their respective foe. The battlefields of World War 1 produced a variety of new-fangled weapons which came to include the tank ("landship"), the fighter aircraft, the bomber aircraft, poison gas, the light machine gun, the submachine gun and the flamethrower. An improved, economically-minded form of the stick grenade appeared during the latter half of World War 2 as the Model 43 Stielhandgranate which was intended to replace the original Model 24 series. The Stielhandgranate entered service with the German Army during World War 1 in 1915 and was retired at the end of World War 2 in 1945. While generally referred to as a "stick grenade", the type was also given the nickname of "Potato Masher" by the Allies due to its shape rather resembling the kitchen utensil. The type became an easily recognizable weapon of its time while its unique dimensions ensured a firm hold with impressive range. Their use in current conflicts and over some countries has raised questions about the ethics of this kind of weaponry, especially when it results in civilian deaths, either due to inaccurate data or because of their proximity to a ‘target’.The Stielhandgranate was the quintessential hand grenade of the German Army in both World War 1 and World War 2. But they are also used as weapons and have been credited with killing suspected militants. They are mostly used for surveillance in areas and terrains where troops are unable to safely go. Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the United States in particular has significantly increased its use of drones. But their most well-known and controversial use is by the military for reconnaissance, surveillance and targeted attacks. ![]() In recent years models have been developed that use technology such as solar power to tackle the problem of fuelling longer flights.ĭrones now have many functions, ranging from monitoring climate change to carrying out search operations after natural disasters, photography, filming, and delivering goods. New models became more sophisticated, with improved endurance and the ability to maintain greater height. Drones also began to be used in a range of new roles, such as acting as decoys in combat, launching missiles against fixed targets and dropping leaflets for psychological operations.įollowing the Vietnam War other countries outside of Britain and the United States began to explore unmanned aerial technology. Reconnaissance UAVs were first deployed on a large scale in the Vietnam War. Radio-controlled drones were also manufactured in the United States and used for target practice and training. It's thought the term 'drone' started to be used at this time, inspired by the name of one of these models, the DH.82B Queen Bee. In 1935 the British produced a number of radio-controlled aircraft to be used as targets for training purposes. Although both showed promise in flight tests, neither were used operationally during the war.ĭuring the inter-war period the development and testing of unmanned aircraft continued. Britain’s Aerial Target, a small radio-controlled aircraft, was first tested in March 1917 while the American aerial torpedo known as the Kettering Bug first flew in October 1918. The first pilotless vehicles were developed in Britain and the USA during the First World War. UAV’s can fly for long periods of time at a controlled level of speed and height and have a role in many aspects of aviation. They can be automated ‘drones’ or remotely piloted vehicles (RPVs). Unmanned aerial vehicles ( UAVs) are aircraft with no on-board crew or passengers. ![]()
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