Blog #28 Coolest TOP TEN U.S. Military Weapons
Coolest Military Weapons | Top Ten
Coolest Military Weapons | Top Ten
From robotic systems to drones, explore the top 10 coolest military weapons with full specs, key features, and why they’re game-changers on the battlefield.
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15 Sep 2025 | Posted by Military.com Coolest Military Weapons | Top Ten | Military.com
From robotic systems to drones, explore the top 10 coolest military weapons with full specs, key features, and why they’re game-changers on the battlefield.
These 10 systems show the range of modern military tech, from big bombers to handheld launchers. At the high end, aircraft like the B-2, AC-130 and Apache deliver massive firepower and support troops directly, while the Osprey moves people and gear fast.
Unmanned and futuristic systems like the MQ-9 drone, the MAARS robot and the experimental railgun keep humans out of danger while striking from far away. On the ground, infantry rely on the Javelin to stop tanks, the M32 for rapid grenade fire and the M110 for long-range precision shots.
Each tool shines in its own right. Some offer stealth or persistence, while others boast speed or raw power. Used together, they are designed to give forces flexibility while reducing risk to people on the front lines.
1. MAARS (Modular Advanced Armed Robotic System)
MAARS is a remotely operated ground robot designed to support infantry by providing heavy firepower without exposing troops to direct danger. Managing to be rugged and cute at the same time, this tracked vehicle can scout, patrol and lay down suppressive fire – although it can’t get back up if it rolls over.
Key features: Wheel conversion capability, up to seven cameras, a loudspeaker, siren, microphone for two-way communication, 360-degree turret and an operational range of up to three kilometers.
Weight: Up to about 370 pounds when fully loaded
Operating range: Over 3,280 ft/1 km from operator
Speed: 7 mph top speed
Armament: M240B medium machine gun, 40mm grenade launcher, smoke grenade launchers
Cameras: Day/night vision, thermal imaging, zoom capability
Communication: Secure wireless remote control up to 800-1,000 meters
Why it’s cool: MAARS is a nifty remote weapons platform that can fire warning shots over the target or aim directly, “but what makes MAARS unique is its firepower,” the U.S. Army explains.
2. Electromagnetic Railgun
This much-hyped weapon was designed to use electricity (specifically, electromagnetic force) instead of gunpowder to fire projectiles at distances over 100 nautical miles and at six times the speed of sound. Despite its cool factor, the U.S. Navy announced in 2021 that it was ending this weapon program to spend that money instead on other high-tech weapons.
Key features: Was designed to fire solid metal slugs at incredible speed."The system charges for two minutes and fires in less than one second," an 1,800-page U.S. Navy assessment stated.
Electromagnetic railgun specifications:
Muzzle velocity: Up to Mach-7 and Mach-8 range
Muzzle energy: 32 megajoules
Range: Unconfirmed. Depends on projectile aerodynamics, flight profile, launch energy and whether the projectile has guidance/controls and thermal protection
Power source: Required massive onboard generator or ship power system
Why it was cool:The system boasted Hollywood pizzazz. When the Navy showed off the railgun during a demonstration in San Diego Bay aboard the auxiliary ship Millinocket, it “showed a clip of a fictional electromagnetic railgun being used in the 2009 movie ‘Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,’” the San Diego Union-Tribune reported in 2016.
3. MQ-9 Reaper
The MQ-9 Reaper – a hunter-killer drone used for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and precision strikes – is the primary offensive strike unmanned aerial vehicle for the U.S. Air Force. A backbone of modern unmanned aerial warfare, it provides a unique capability to perform strike, coordination and reconnaissance against high-value, fleeting and time-sensitive targets.
A Reaperfrom the 432nd Wing at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada,was lost in late 2024 when it crashed into the Mediterranean Sea after losing a propeller. No fatalities were reported.
A video circulating in September 2025 purports to show “the first known instance of a Reaper engaging an aerial target of any kind in an operational setting,” according to a War Zone report.
Key features: Long endurance, multi-role strike capability, remotely piloted, wide-range sensors, multi-mode communications suite.
MQ-9 Reaper specifications(depending on variant):
Wingspan: 66 feet
Length: 36 feet
Weight: 4,900 pounds (empty), up to 10,500 pounds (loaded)
Speed: Max of roughly 250–300 mph depending on configuration and atmosphere
Range: 1,150 miles
Endurance: Up to 27 hours flight time
Payload: Up to 3,750 pounds (Hellfire missiles, GBU-12 bombs, sensors)
Why it’s cool: The Reaper is basically a flying Swiss Army knife of modern warfare, combining many roles into one sleek package.
4. B-2 Spirit
The B-2 Spirit is a stealth bomber built to penetrate the most sophisticated air defenses and deliver nuclear or conventional payloads deep inside enemy territory. The bomber was the first aircraft over Afghanistan following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
In October 2024, Air Force B-2 Spirit bombers were used in a combat operation for the first time in the 2020s, directed “to bomb Iran-backed Houthi targets in Yemen,” Military.com reported in 2024. Prior to that, “one of the last public acknowledgments of the B-2’s use in combat was nearly eight years [earlier] in January 2017 when two of the bombers from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, flew a 33-hour mission to North Libya and killed roughly 100 Islamic state militants, according to Air Force officials,” the report stated.
Key features: Stealth, long range, heavy payload.
B-2 Spirit specifications:
Wingspan: 172 feet
Length: 69 feet
Height: 17 feet
Weight: 160,000 pounds (empty)
Range: About 6,000 nautical miles unrefueled; or 10,000 nautical miles with one aerial refueling
Speed: 630 mph (high subsonic)
Payload: Up to 40,000 pounds (conventional or nuclear weapons)
Crew: Two pilots
Why it’s cool: Its very existence deters adversaries because they know it can appear above their most heavily guarded sites without warning. “A dramatic leap forward in technology, the bomber represents a major milestone in the U.S. bomber modernization program,” according to the U.S. Air Force.
5. AC-130 Gunship
With a combat history dating to Vietnam, the AC-130 is a heavily armed gunship that circles battlefields and delivers devastating firepower in support of ground troops. The gunners manning this beast have one of the toughest jobs around, though.
“During Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada in 1983, AC-130s suppressed enemy air defense systems and attacked ground forces enabling the successful assault of the Point Salines Airfield via airdrop and air land of friendly forces,” according to a Military.com report.
The U.S. Air Force sums up the AC-130 by noting: “These heavily armed aircraft incorporate side-firing weapons integrated with sophisticated sensor, navigation and fire control systems to provide surgical firepower or area saturation during extended loiter periods, day or night and in adverse weather.”
Key features: Massive firepower, precision targeting, long loiter time.
AC-130 Gunship specifications:
Base aircraft: Lockheed C-130 Hercules
Crew: 13 (pilots, gunners, systems operators) - depends on variant
Speed: About 300 mph for legacy variants; the AC-130J is noticeably faster
Armament (varies by model):
25mm GAU-12 Gatling gun
40mm L/60 Bofors cannon
105mm M102 howitzer
Mission endurance: 6+ hours loiter time over target
Why it’s cool: The AC-130 is a flying fortress that can circle over battlefields at night or in bad weather, using high-tech sensors to find targets and unleash attacks with its massive cannons. “If it weren't for the AC-130 gunship, the hell-raising, special operations aircraft that often circles overhead when troops descend into a grisly conflict, more American or partner forces' lives could be lost,” according to Military.com.
6. AH-64D Apache Longbow
The Apache, a powerful aircraft built by Boeing, is the U.S. Army’s premier attack helicopter, used for tank-busting, close support and reconnaissance. The AH-64 chopper celebrated 40 years in March 2024.
Packed with weapons like a 30mm chain gun, Hellfire missiles and rockets, it’s loaded with high-tech sensors, night vision and helmet displays that give pilots extensive targeting and situational awareness. The Block III version takes things even further with upgrades that boost performance, cut costs and even let crews control drones directly from the cockpit, according to an Army Research Laboratory assessment.
Key features: Advanced targeting, survivability, heavy armament
AH-64D Apache Longbow specifications:
Crew: 2 (pilot + gunner)
Length: 58 feet
Rotor diameter: 48 feet
Max speed: 182 mph (293 km/h)
Range: “The ferry range and service ceiling of the helicopter are 1,900km and 6,400m respectively,” according to an Army fact sheet.
Armament:
30mm M230 chain gun
AGM-114 Hellfire missiles
Hydra 70 rockets
Sensors: Longbow radar dome, thermal imaging, laser targeting
Why it’s cool: This beast is a flying tank with massive firepower, advanced sensors and night vision that lets it see and strike in almost any condition. “The AH-64 Apache was designed to be an extremely tough survivor under combat,” a Boeing fact sheet notes.
7. MV-22 Osprey
The Osprey is a tiltrotor aircraft that combines the vertical lift of a helicopter with the speed and range of an airplane. It’s used for transporting troops and cargo into contested areas. It can carry a couple of dozen troops and is designed for a crew of four.
There have been tragic flaws with the Marine Corps variant of the aircraft. “More than a dozen MV-22 Osprey incidents involving what is known as a hard clutch engagement” included “one that claimed the lives of five Marines,” Military.com reported in June 2024.
Key features: 500 nautical mile range; .50 caliber machine gun for defense.
Crew: 4 (pilot, co-pilot, crew chiefs)
Capacity: Up to 24 troops or 20,000 pounds of cargo
Length: 57 feet
Wingspan: 84 feet
Max speed: 277 mph
Range: 1,000 miles
Engines: Two Rolls-Royce AE1107C turboshafts
Why it’s cool: Despite its problems, it generally still represents a revolution for Marine assault operations. It moves troops faster and farther than traditional helicopters, and its tiltrotor design lets it hover, land vertically or fly like a plane.
8. FGM-148 Javelin
The Javelin is a man-portable, anti-tank missile system that locks onto a target and destroys it with precision.
Key features: Fire-and-forget, top-attack profile.
FGM-148 Javelin specifications:
Weight: 49 pounds (launcher + missile)
Missile length: 49 inches
Effective range: 65 meters to 2,500 meters (1.5 miles)
Guidance: Infrared homing, lock-on before launch
Warhead: Tandem HEAT (High-Explosive Anti-Tank)
Crew: Typically 2 operators, but can be fired solo
Why it’s cool: Highly effective against tanks and bunkers, the Javelin works in day or night and adverse conditions and, thanks to its soft launch and top-attack capabilities, lets soldiers fire from cover.
9. M32 Multi-Shot Grenade Launcher
“The M32 is a semi-automatic, shoulder-fired, six-shot grenade launcher capable of firing 40mm grenades,” according to the National Guard. This handheld launcher gives soldiers rapid grenade firepower for clearing areas and suppressing enemies.
Key features: Revolving 6-shot drum, versatile munitions.
M32 Multi-Shot Grenade Launcher specifications:
Weight: 14 pounds unloaded
Length: 32 inches
Magazine: 6-round revolving drum
Ammunition: 40mm grenades (high-explosive, or HE; smoke; flashbang; etc.)
Effective range: 400 yards for area targets
Rate of fire: 6 rounds in less than 3 seconds
Why it’s cool: It’s basically a shotgun of grenades, quickly delivering massive area firepower.
10. M110 SASS
The M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System is designed for precision fire, giving snipers flexibility in both long-range and rapid engagements. “The Army rolled out the M110 to much controversy, but in response to valid concerns and shifting tactical situations that snipers were encountering overseas,” Military.com reported in 2011.
Key features: Semi-auto, suppressor, modern optics.
M110 SASS specifications:
Caliber: 7.62×51mm NATO
Weight: 15 pounds (with suppressor and optics)
Length: 40 inches (with stock extended)
Effective range: 800 meters (2,600 feet)
Fire mode: Semi-automatic
Magazine: 10- or 20-round detachable box
Optics: Day/night scopes, thermal imaging compatibility
Why it’s cool: It’s quieter, quicker and more versatile than older bolt-action sniper rifles, making it ideal for modern missions and representing a huge advantage in urban, close or rapidly changing fights.
Information previously published on Military.com was used to compile this report.
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Choosing from drones, robots and big guns to determine the most impressive weapons, our panel of veterans ranked the coolest top ten in this episode of "Top Ten: Coolest Weapons." Watch it today!
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