Lock & Load: Weapons of the U.S. Military

Sea Power, Aug 2003 by Gardner, Sherry L

LOCK & LOAD: Weapons of the U.S. Military, by Angus Konstam, Hans Halberstadt, Peter March, Jerry Scutts and Leo Marriott, New York, N.Y.: Sterling Publishing, March 2003. 256 pp. $29.95. ISBN: 1-85648-634-6. Throughout history the freedom and security of many countries depended on their armed forces being properly equipped for defense or having allies who were.

Lock & Load begins with a general introduction-a brief history of U.S. forces, their postwar role, and current posture. Also covered are weapons research, procurement, and the troops' strategic role. Separate chapters look at the destructive weapons of forces on land, at sea, and in the air. An array of fighting vehicles such as the M2 Bradley, Humvee, and many little-known variants, as well as the Portable Armor System, night systems, and communications gear add to this book's comprehensiveness. With color photographs, glossary of abbreviations, and index.