Ordnance

Ordnance is defined as any materials such as weapons, ammunition, combat vehicles, and equipment used in a military capacity. In addition to these, ordnance of the United States Armed Forces includes bombs, missiles, torpedoes, ground attack missiles, and more. Certain types of ordnance are common to all branches of the military, but the Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy each have ordnance that is unique to them.

A common ordnance used by all branches of the military, including the Army, is the .50 caliber round. These rounds are primarily used in M2 machine guns and M107 sniper rifles. However, there are many variations of .50 caliber rounds used for different applications and different weapons. Other common types of ordnance shared by most or all military branches are the AGM-114 Hellfire, AIM-9 Sidewinder, and AIM-7 Sparrow missiles. Additionally, the M80 and M885 bullet rounds are used by all branches.

Two examples of ordnance materials unique to the Air Force are the LGM-30 Minuteman III and the AGM Cruise Missile. The LGM-30 Minuteman III is an intercontinental ballistic missile and one of the top strategic deterrent forces under control of Air Force Global Strike Command. It is a silo-launched, surface attack guided missile. The AGM Cruise Missile is an air-launched missile powered by a turbofan engine that propels it at subsonic speeds. Following launch, the missiles, wings, tail surfaces, and engine inlet deploy end route to the target.

Two examples of Marine Corps ordnance are the AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) and the AGM-65 Maverick missile. The AGM-154 JSOW fires an air-to-surface missile that can carry a wide array of lethal packages. The JSOW has a standoff range of up to 63 nautical miles, allowing it to remain outside the enemy threat while effectively engaging targets. The AGM-65 Maverick is an air-to-surface missile designed for close air support, interdiction, and defense suppression. It is highly effective against armor, air defenses, ships, ground transportations, and fuel storage facilities.

Two types of Navy ordnance tailored to sea warfare are the RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) and the MK-50 Torpedo. The RIM-116 RAM is a lightweight, quick-reaction, fire and forget missile primarily used to destroy anti-ship cruise missiles and asymmetric air and surface threats. Its development was the result of a cooperative program between the U.S. and German governments. The MK-50 Torpedo is an undersea weapon used by the U.S. Navy ships and aircraft. The current model has greater lethality, speed, depth, and endurance than previous versions.