[Hoverbug]

The following have dominated battlefields for the past 50 years. They may not be the most successful in terms of capability, but they are unquestionably dominant in terms of use, even when more capable systems have been available:

AK-47
RPG-7
SA-2
AIM-9
T-55
B-52
Huey

The traits they seem to share seem to be ruggedness, adaptability, ease of use and maintenance, ease of manufacture and a very favorable cost/capability balance. If only current Pentagon procurers could do so well.

[JustPlaneNuttz]

I would have to say a nuclear submarine. Take your pick of armaments: Cruise missles with conventional warheads or enough long-range missles to nuke the world -- from darn near anywhere IN the world (or should I say 'under' it?!)

But getting back to the aviation world, I like the C-130 with the gattling guns. Mmmm . . . jungle salad shredder! Saw some video at a friends place on the weekend of some of that. Yikes! Don't get in those sights -- you're sure to have a bad day!

[mapleflag]

NVG's and infrared sighting and vision systems, they've done a lot to take the surprises out of situations.

[Epapazian]

Originally Posted by Hoverbug

The following have dominated battlefields for the past 50 years. They may not be the most successful in terms of capability, but they are unquestionably dominant in terms of use, even when more capable systems have been available:

AK-47
RPG-7
SA-2
AIM-9
T-55
B-52
Huey

The traits they seem to share seem to be ruggedness, adaptability, ease of use and maintenance, ease of manufacture and a very favorable cost/capability balance. If only current Pentagon procurers could do so well.

I buy most of these as dominant weapons systems except for the T-55. While this and the T-54 were certainly made in huge numbers and were widely used by numerous Soviet satellite and client states as well as the Taliban, they usually got clobbered by Western or Western-equipped forces---even when using outmoded equipment like the Israeli Shermans. Sure, the T-55 had excellent features for its time and may have been ill used by poorly trained or led forces, but its record on the battlefield isn't that impressive.

[Hornchurch]

Originally Posted by Rush104

What, in your opinion, has been the most effective weapons/weapons systems used in the last 50 years? It could be anything: planes, ships, guns, etc. My candidates are:...

MG.42 1942 - present DAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (nowadays known as the MG.3)


65 years old, & STILL going strong !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (it's a Legend in it's own Life-time)



.....................

[jim]

Interesting topic and some very astute answers.

I like Shawns best, well if we didnt have well trained servicemen then nothing is any use.

I was watching a programme in TV last night about our Commando boys in Afghanistan.

A bunch of our soldiers got pinned down by a large group of Taliban and were getting some heavy fire coming in. They called up one of those C130s and it circled around blasting away and kept those evil b.gg.rs at bay until the reinforcements arrived to rescue our boys.
The Captain in charge of those men said it was the best sight he had ever seen, and he was chuckling when he said it.
He went on to speak very highly of the air support given by the US Airforce, its great to know that those boys are there just waiting for a call from us.

You see guys we just never hear positive stuff like that in the newspapers yet if a pilot makes a single mistake the papers are full of it.


Best "Weapons systems" well its difficult to pick a single one but the Nuclear subs with their atomic missiles certainly made the Ruskies think very hard.
I dread the thought but the way things are going in the world we may well need them again one day.

[MULE]

"Effective" can have a lot of definitions.

If the weapons system is to produce results or effects (damage, disrupt, deny, destroy, defend, defeat, disable), I would say an ICBM, which can do all of those to a huge degree, though fails at the effectiveness of accuracy, collateral damage, ability to recall, and flexibility. Also, detterence is a great effect, since you do not need to actually use the weapon. Many weapons are used as a show of force, like carriers or the B-2. Even the AWACS was a great show of force (or resolve) by the government to show intent, though it has no weapons, but is a weapon system.

An extremely effective weapon system is the CAOC (Combined Air Operations Cener), which synergizes the effectiveness of other weapon systems, C2 and the human element.

Though, effectiveness may be measured in other ways on smaller scales. Effective non-lethal weapon, effective precision strike weapon, effective air, maritime, land weapon, etc.

[admin]

Laser Guided Bomb

[Cavtanker]

Admin, he also votes in favor of the laser.

[Aircrafty]

You'd have to go for a ballistic missile submarine in this contest, they pack a big wallop yet are difficult to locate and destroy.