World’s most powerful countries for 2023; India secures 12th position: report

LONDON: Radical changes to the methods of warfare, including the use of highly advanced and sophisticated weaponry, have marked the 21st century. From the most up-to-date guns to complex drones, the array of destructive tools available to governments and non-state entities has drastically increased.

This article reviews some of the deadliest lethal weapons integral in transforming modern warfare. These powerful weapons of destruction not only possess tremendous destructive potential but also reflect the transforming nature of warfare in the current era.

CEOWORLD Magazine was influenced by the 1964 paper “Historical Trends Related to Weapon Lethality,” which thoroughly appraised weapons’ lethality across different periods in history. The alteration of warfare since the beginning of the 1900s demonstrates the power of modern technology in enabling precise and destructive military activities.

It is imperative to recognise that the legitimacy of certain armaments is uncertain, given that they are forbidden under various worldwide military treaties and accords. However, convincing proof implies that forbidden weapons are still present in worldwide military stashes.

We present this overview of some of the most formidable weapons in the arsenals of nations worldwide, ranging from the most destructive small arms used in close-quarters combat to devastating munitions able to wipe out entire cities. We approach this catalog of weapons with a deep respect for the power they represent.

In the world today, nine countries currently possess nuclear weapons, including the five major countries that occupy the five permanent slots on the United Nations Security Council. Any discussion about which countries possess nuclear weapons should start by outlining what nuclear weapons are.

At its most basic, a nuclear weapon is the most powerful form of explosive known to man. A single modern nuke carries the power of 100,000 (or more) tons of TNT and could kill more than half a million people if detonated in a densely populated area.

Aviation Thermobaric Bomb of Increased Power, nicknamed “Father of All Bombs” (FOAB), is a Russian-designed, bomber-delivered thermobaric weapon. This weapon was claimed to be the most powerful conventional (non-nuclear) weapon in the world, more powerful than GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast, which is often unofficially called “Mother of All Bombs” or MOAB.

The GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB”Mother of all bombs”) is a large-yield bomb, developed for the United States military. It was first tested in 2003. At the time of development, it was said to be the most powerful non-nuclear weapon in the American arsenal.

The S-400 Triumf, a Russian mobile surface-to-air missile system, can engage aircraft, UAVs, and cruise missiles. It boasts a range of approximately 250 to 400 kilometers and employs high-explosive fragmentation warheads.