Today, we’re going to explore the five deadliest weapons that are ready to be deployed right now. And, if you thought the deadliest belonged to the U.S. Army, think again.
Number 5: AH-64 Apache Gunship
You’ve heard a lot about the Blackhawk, but in reality, this famous American helicopter is a utility aircraft, used for transporting troops and equipment. The real danger is the agility of this gunship.
The Apache Gunship bears more than 10 tons (23,000 lb) of deadly force. And it flies as fast as 280 km/h (174 mph) at heights of more than 6,000 m (20,000 ft). In combat, this deadly machine will fire more than 10 rounds per second with 30 mm ammunition, and it can fire missiles and rocket pods.
Launched in 1984, AH-64 Apaches have logged over 1.3 million combat hours, and are expected to be in service well into the 2060s.
Number 4: M1 Abrams Tank
This 55-ton monster is no doubt the deadliest tank in history. It was first deployed in 1991 by the U.S. Army during the Persian Gulf War. Soldiers on board remember being hit by Iraqi army tanks and suffering practically no damage.
Powered by jet fuel, they reach speeds of up to 70 km/h (42 mph) and they’re extremely agile, traveling 40 km/h (25 mph) in reverse. But let’s talk about firepower. The cannon can fire nine massive 120 mm rounds per minute, to a distance of over 3 km (2 mi).
And the secondary weapon is a fearsome machine gun that can fire almost 1,000 rounds per minute to a distance of almost 4 km (2.3 miles). So you certainly won’t want to find this bad boy on the battlefield.
Number 3: F-22 Raptor
Older than the F-35 Lightning II, the Raptor was delivered to the U.S. Air Force in 1997. Since then, the skies haven’t seen a more lethal weapon.
Now, the F-35 may have more advanced communications systems and versatility, but the F-22 was designed to kill in the air. In addition to being more maneuverable and agile, it’s also faster and more autonomous than its little brother. Its 3,000 km (1,850 mi) range enables it to cross enemy lines. And its top speed, that has exceeded Mach 2, almost 2,500 km/h (1,500 mph), makes it impossible for an enemy to chase it.
It also carries air-to-air missiles and fires 480 rounds of 20 mm bullets per minute. So it seems its air dominance is not about to be called into question anytime soon.
Number 2: Ohio-class Submarine
These massive machines are as big as two soccer pitches, at 170 m (560 ft) long and weigh 20,000 tons. They have the capacity to carry more than 150 people for as long as food supplies last, because they are powered by their own nuclear reactor.
If you’re wondering what makes these submarines so deadly, it’s because they carry a huge portion of the U.S. nuclear arsenal. Actually, they hold more nuclear weapons than any other platform on Earth. Yes, you heard that right, there are more nuclear weapons moving around in the ocean than there are anyplace else, and they’re always ready to be launched. Scary, isn’t it? But not as scary as the deadliest active weapon on the planet.
Number 1: The F.O.A.B.
Dubbed the Father of All Bombs, this Russian thermobaric bomb is the world’s most deadly non-nuclear bomb, but make no mistake, it could be even more dangerous than a nuke.
The explosion will produce even higher temperatures than a nuclear bomb, vaporizing all life around it.
Tested by the Russian Army in 2007, it proved to be as deadly as a nuclear bomb. And in case you were wondering, it’s still part of the Russian arsenal.
