armement

Armement refers to the collection, development, production, deployment, and maintenance of weapons and military equipment used by a state, organization, or other actor. It encompasses conventional arms such as small arms, artillery, armored vehicles, aircraft, ships, and missiles, as well as non-conventional weapons and their delivery systems, including nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. Armement also covers the broader supply chain and the various processes of procurement, modernization, and lifecycle management.

Etymology and usage of the term are rooted in the French word for armament, but in English it is commonly used to describe a country’s or group’s stock of weapons and the related industrial capacity. The field intersects with defense policy, military strategy, and industrial production, reflecting both security needs and political choices about deterrence, alliance commitments, and regional balance.

Historically, armement has evolved from manual weaponry to mechanized armies and modern, complex platforms. The industrial revolution enabled mass production, enabling rapid expansion of arsenals and global trade in arms. In the 20th and 21st centuries, technology has driven significant modernization—precision-guided munitions, unmanned systems, advanced sensors, and sophisticated command and control networks—alongside the rising importance of logistics, maintenance, and cyber capabilities.

Global patterns include varying levels of defense expenditure, domestic production, and international arms transfers. Transparency and accountability are pursued through treaties and frameworks such as the Non-Proliferation Treaty, the Chemical Weapons Convention, and the Arms Trade Treaty, along with regional agreements and export controls. Analysts track armement through indicators like military spending, stockpiles, and export data, often using sources such as SIPRI for independent assessments. Ongoing debates emphasize deterrence versus disarmament, humanitarian concerns, and the challenges of illicit arms trafficking.