Conventional weapons are the mainstay of all modern military forces. To make sense of the great variety and differences within this category, we need to distinguish between platforms and munitions. Platforms are means by which munitions — explosives, projectiles or sensors — are brought to an effective use.

Today, heavy weapons systems still are at the core of modern armed forces. Battle tanks, combat aircraft, warships and submarines belong to that group. One differentiates between heavy weapons, small arms and light weapons and nuclear, biological and chemical weapons of mass destruction.

Conflict is endemic in human society. Often, such conflicts become violent, because people feel they are unable to agree. When people resort to violence in this way, arms that can be handled by one person are the preferred choice.

The term landmine refers to anti-personnel and anti-vehicle mines. Anti-personnel mines kill or injure enemy fighters while anti-vehicle mines are intended to destroy or stop vehicles and their passengers from driving on.

The global trade in weapons has an estimated volume of between US $40 and 50 billion per year. According to figures of the Swedish peace research institute SIPRI, the international market for arms grew by 24 per cent between 2007 and 2011 compared to the period 2002 and 2006.

Tanks from German producers are used by many armies in the world. The largest and most important producer is the arms producer Krauss-Maffei Wegmann & Co. KG (KMW) in Munich; according to its own reports the market leader in the field of military tracked and wheeled vehicles in Europe.

German shipyards are world champions in exporting conventional submarines. No country has ever sold more submarines to other countries than Germany has. So far, more than 120 have been sold to 17 countries on four continents.

Military small arms vary according to their function and requirements, but they all share the qualities of ruggedness and simplicity of operation Modern automatic weapons are relatively light (less than 10kg) and have high rates of fire(between 120 and 1200 rounds/minute).

The term MANPAD Man Portable Air Defence System refers to a class of weapon that was intended originally to defend ground units against attack from the air. A MANPADS consists of four parts.

Small arms and light weapons (SALW) are not weapons of mass destruction per definition, as this term is solely used for chemical, biological and nuclear major weapons.

Legislation on small arms control in Germany differentiates between military arms on the one hand and all other arms, such as arms for hunting and sport shooting on the other. Military arms are weapons that are designed and manufactured for use in military action, such as fully automatic assault rifles.

The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (Mine Ban Treaty) entered into force in 1999. The Convention only covers anti-personnel mines and therefore excludes anti-vehicle mines.

The illegal arms trade is the transfer and dealership in arms and weapons (whole or their components), in violation of existing national and international regulations.