List of Cold War weapons and land equipment of the United Kingdom
This list deals with all land based equipment used by the British Armed Forces during the Cold War period. This includes small arms, artillery, AFVs, SAMs and lorries.
Small arms[edit]
Rifles[edit]
- Lee–Enfield[1]-Main service rifle till the 1950s and afterwards adapted for a variety of specialist roles.
- EM-2 rifle[2]- Experimental rifle adopted very briefly.
- L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle[3]-Main Cold War service rifle.
- SA80 L85 rifle[4]-Adopted right at the end of the Cold War.
Sniper rifles[edit]
- Accuracy International Arctic Warfare- Designated L96A1 replaced L42A1a Lee enfield variant in 1985.
Sidearms[edit]
- Enfield No. 2[5]- In service early on in the Cold War.
- Webley Revolver[6]- Substitute for Enfield No 2.
- Browning Hi-Power[7]- Main sidearm during the Cold War.
Machine guns[edit]
- Vickers machine gun[8]-Not declared obsolete till 1968.
- Bren light machine gun[9]-L4 variant in service throughout the Cold War.
- FN MAG[10]- Main British machine gun of Cold War and present day as L7.
Submachine guns[edit]
- Sten[11]- Used very early on replaced in 1960
- Sterling submachine gun[12]- Main submachine gun
Grenades[edit]
- Mills bomb[13]- In use until the 1970s
- M26 grenade[14]- L2 variant replaced the Mills bomb.
Infantry anti-tank weapons[edit]
- PIAT[15]-still in use in 1950s
- M20 Super Bazooka[16]-Replaced PIAT used early on.
- Carl Gustaf 8.4cm recoilless rifle[17]
- MILAN[18]-standard from the 1970s for the rest of the Cold War.
- M72 LAW[19]
Mortars[edit]
- Two-inch mortar[20]-Still in use till 1965
- L9A1 51 mm light mortar[21]- Main Cold War light mortar
- ML 3-inch mortar[22]- in service through to the 1960s
- L16 81mm mortar[23]- Main Cold War and present day mortar.
- ML 4.2-inch mortar[24]- saw service in 1960s
Artillery[edit]
Field artillery[edit]
- M116 howitzer[25]- Saw use into 1950s in its mountain and airborne artillery role
- Ordnance QF 25-pounder[26]- Still saw active use till 1960s when they were relegated to non-combat roles.
- OTO Melara Mod 56[27]-Saw short service as L5 pack howitzer from 1960s to mid 1970s.
- L118 light gun[28]-entered service in mid 1970s and today is main field artilley piece.
Self propelled artillery[edit]
- Sexton (artillery)[29]- Saw service till 1956
- FV433 Abbot SPG[30]- Main light SPG
- M109 howitzer[31]- Main heavy SPG
- M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System[32]- acquired late in the Cold War
Heavy anti-tank weapons[edit]
- 120 mm BAT recoilless rifle[33]-Replaced in 1970s
Anti-aircraft weapons[edit]
Anti-aircraft guns[edit]
- Bofors 40 mm gun[34]- L/70 variant used till 1977 in low altitude air defence
Surface to air missiles[edit]
- Thunderbird (missile)[35]- In use till 1977 for mobile high altitude air defence.
- Bloodhound (missile)[36]-Fixed air defence in UK from 1958 till 1991.
- Blowpipe (missile)[37]- Man portable surface to air missile from 1975 til 1985
- Rapier (missile)[38]-Came into service at start of 70s and at the end replaced bofors and thunderbird. Used until 2022.
- Javelin (surface-to-air missile)[39]- Man portable surface to air missile replacing Blowpipe in use from 1984 to 1993.
Armoured fighting vehicles(AFV's)[edit]
Tanks[edit]
- Centurion[40]- main British early Cold War tank.
- Conqueror[41]- used from mid 50s to mid 60s to give long range anti-tank support to Centurions. Built to counter IS-3.
- Chieftain[42]- main British tank of Cold War and mid Cold War.
- Challenger 1[43]- Main British tank late Cold War or 1980s.
Light tanks[edit]
- FV107 Scimitar[44]-Entered service 1971
- FV101 Scorpion[45]-Entered service 1973
Armoured cars[edit]
Armoured personnel carriers[edit]
- Alvis Saracen[50]-Introduced 1952
- FV432[51]- Introduced in 1960s
- FV103 Spartan[52]-Introduced in 1978
- Saxon (vehicle)[53]- Introduced in 1983
Infantry fighting vehicles[edit]
Non-combat vehicles[edit]
Lorries[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Lee-Enfield No 4 Mk 2 Rifle". www.awm.gov.au. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ^ Site, National Rifle Association Historic Arms Resource Centre-Miniature-Calibre Rifles Reference. "Historic small-bore Enfield rifles, training rifles and BSA rifles; plus league competitions". www.rifleman.org.uk. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ^ "Enfield L1A1 SLR (Self-Loading Rifle)". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ^ "SA80 A2 L85 Assault Rifle, United Kingdom". www.army-technology.com. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ^ "Pistol, Revolver, No2 Mk1". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ^ "Webley Mark VI revolver - Arms of the First World War". Royal Armouries collections. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ^ "Glock 17 9mm pistols replace Browning for UK forces". BBC News. 2013-01-11. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ^ Kretaner (2020-11-20). "Vickers Gun". WW2 Weapons. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ^ "7.62 mm L4A1 Bren light machine gun, 1957 (c) | Online Collection | National Army Museum, London". collection.nam.ac.uk. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ^ "Historical Firearms - British L7 General Purpose Machine Gun Designed..." www.historicalfirearms.info. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ^ "Sten gun | weapon". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ^ "Sterling Submachine Gun (L2A1)". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ^ "Mk II (Mills Grenade / Mills Bomb)". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ^ "L2 (Grenade)". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ^ "Projector, Infantry, Anti-Tank [PIAT]". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ^ "M20 Super-Bazooka". Modern Firearms. 2011-03-27. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ^ "Carl Gustav Anti Tank Weapon | ParaData". www.paradata.org.uk. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ^ "British Military Weapons - Milan". www.eliteukforces.info. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ^ "SAS - Weapons - M72 LAW Rocket Launcher". www.eliteukforces.info. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
- ^ "Ordnance SBML 2-inch Mortar (50,8 mm)". www.dday-overlord.com. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
- ^ "British Army - The Infantry - 51mm Mortar, 60mm Mortar and Grenade Machine Gun - a5a13.2". www.armedforces.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
- ^ "Ordnance ML 3-inch mortar (81,2 mm)". www.dday-overlord.com. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
- ^ "Ordnance L16 82mm". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
- ^ "Ordnance ML 4.2-inch Mortar". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
- ^ "M1 Pack Howitzer / M116". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
- ^ "Ordnance, field gun, QF 25 Pdr Mark II". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
- ^ "L5 pack howitzer 105mm – Norfolk Tank Museum". Retrieved 2021-09-28.
- ^ "UK mulls 105 mm Light Gun replacement project". Janes.com. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
- ^ "Sexton". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
- ^ "FV433 Abbot SPG - Tanks Encyclopedia". Tank Encyclopedia. 2019-08-31. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
- ^ "This howitzer gives the British Army long-range firepower". We Are The Mighty. 2020-02-04. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
- ^ "M270 MLRS". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
- ^ "BAT | Weaponsystems.net". old.weaponsystems.net. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ "Bofors 40/70 MK2 Anti-Aircraft Gun". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ "SAGW 2 Thunderbird (surface-to-air guided missile)". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ "RAAF Museum: Royal Australian Air Force". www.airforce.gov.au. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ "Blowpipe Man-Portable Air Defense Missile System | Military-Today.com". www.military-today.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ "Rapier low level ground surface to air missile technical data sheet specifications pictures video | British United Kingdom missile systems vehicles UK | British Army United Kingdom military equipment UK". www.armyrecognition.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ "Thales Javelin". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ "Centurion (A41)". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ "Tank, Heavy No. 1, 120 mm Gun, FV214 Conqueror - Tanks Encyclopedia". Tank Encyclopedia. 2020-04-18. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ "The British Chieftain Tank (FV4201)". Fighting-Vehicles.com. 2016-03-20. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ "Challenger MBT (1982)". www.tanks-encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ "Alvis FV107 Scimitar". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ "Fv 101 Scorpion light tank (1972)". tanks-encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ "Daimler Armoured Car Mk II". www.dday-overlord.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ "Coventry Armored Car". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ "Daimler Ferret F701 armoured car 1951". tanks-encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ "Alvis F600 Saladin". www.tanks-encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ "Alvis F603 Saracen". www.tanks-encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ "FV432 APC". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ "FV103 Spartan Armored Personnel Carrier | Military-Today.com". www.military-today.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ "The Not So Secret Life of the Saxon - Think Defence". www.thinkdefence.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ "Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle - Think Defence". www.thinkdefence.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-10-02.
- ^ "Bedford RL lorries used by the British Army". www.oldclassiccar.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ "Bedford TM 4-4 General Utility Truck | Military-Today.com". www.military-today.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ "Bedford TK-MK (1959)". truck-encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2023-11-11.