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

Rifles

• 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 in 1951.
• L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle ^[3] – Main Cold War service rifle from 1954 to 1994.
• SA80 L85 rifle ^[4] – Adopted right at the end of the Cold War in 1987.

Sniper rifles

• Lee–Enfield – sniper variant from Word War II. It was the primary sniper of British forces until replaced by L42A1.
• L42A1 – in service from 1970 to 1990.
• Accuracy International Arctic Warfare – Designated L96A1 replaced L42A1 a Lee Enfield variant in 1985.

Sidearms

• 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

• 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

• Sten ^[11] – Used very early on, replaced in 1960
• Sterling submachine gun ^[12] – Main submachine gun

Grenades

• Mills bomb ^[13] – In use until the 1970s
• M26 grenade ^[14] – L2 variant replaced the Mills bomb.

Infantry anti-tank weapons

• 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

• 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

Field artillery

• 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 artillery piece.

Self-propelled artillery

• 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

• 120 mm BAT recoilless rifle ^[33] – Replaced in 1970s

Anti-aircraft weapons

Anti-aircraft guns

• Bofors 40 mm gun ^[34] – L/70 variant used till 1977 in low altitude air defence

Surface-to-air missiles

• 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 1970s 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(AFVs)

Tanks

• 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

• FV107 Scimitar ^[44] – Entered service 1971
• FV101 Scorpion ^[45] – Entered service 1973

Armoured cars

• Daimler Armoured Car ^[46]
• Coventry armoured car ^[47]
• Ferret armoured car ^[48]
• Alvis Saladin ^[49]

Armoured personnel carriers

• 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

• Warrior tracked armoured vehicle ^[54]

Non-combat vehicles

Lorries

• Bedford RL ^[55]
• Bedford TM ^[56]
• Bedford TK (MK) ^[57]

References

1. "Lee-Enfield No 4 Mk 2 Rifle". www.awm.gov.au. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
2. 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.
3. "Enfield L1A1 SLR (Self-Loading Rifle)". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
4. "SA80 A2 L85 Assault Rifle, United Kingdom". www.army-technology.com. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
5. "Pistol, Revolver, No2 Mk1". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
6. "Webley Mark VI revolver - Arms of the First World War". Royal Armouries collections. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
7. "Glock 17 9mm pistols replace Browning for UK forces". BBC News. 2013-01-11. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
8. Kretaner (2020-11-20). "Vickers Gun". WW2 Weapons. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
9. "7.62 mm L4A1 Bren light machine gun, 1957 (c) | Online Collection | National Army Museum, London". collection.nam.ac.uk. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
10. "Historical Firearms - British L7 General Purpose Machine Gun Designed..." www.historicalfirearms.info. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
11. "Sten gun | weapon". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
12. "Sterling Submachine Gun (L2A1)". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
13. "Mk II (Mills Grenade / Mills Bomb)". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
14. "L2 (Grenade)". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
15. "Projector, Infantry, Anti-Tank [PIAT]". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
16. "M20 Super-Bazooka". Modern Firearms. 2011-03-27. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
17. "Carl Gustav Anti Tank Weapon | ParaData". www.paradata.org.uk. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
18. "British Military Weapons - Milan". www.eliteukforces.info. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
19. "SAS - Weapons - M72 LAW Rocket Launcher". www.eliteukforces.info. Retrieved 2021-09-27.
20. "Ordnance SBML 2-inch Mortar (50,8 mm)". www.dday-overlord.com. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
21. "British Army - The Infantry - 51mm Mortar, 60mm Mortar and Grenade Machine Gun - a5a13.2". www.armedforces.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
22. "Ordnance ML 3-inch mortar (81,2 mm)". www.dday-overlord.com. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
23. "Ordnance L16 82mm". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
24. "Ordnance ML 4.2-inch Mortar". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
25. "M1 Pack Howitzer / M116". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
26. "Ordnance, field gun, QF 25 Pdr Mark II". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
27. "L5 pack howitzer 105mm – Norfolk Tank Museum" . Retrieved 2021-09-28.
28. "UK mulls 105 mm Light Gun replacement project". Janes.com. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
29. "Sexton". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
30. "FV433 Abbot SPG - Tanks Encyclopedia". Tank Encyclopedia. 2019-08-31. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
31. "This howitzer gives the British Army long-range firepower". We Are The Mighty. 2020-02-04. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
32. "M270 MLRS". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
33. "BAT | Weaponsystems.net". old.weaponsystems.net. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
34. "Bofors 40/70 MK2 Anti-Aircraft Gun". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
35. "SAGW 2 Thunderbird (surface-to-air guided missile)". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
36. "RAAF Museum: Royal Australian Air Force". www.airforce.gov.au. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
37. "Blowpipe Man-Portable Air Defense Missile System | Military-Today.com". www.military-today.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
38. "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.
39. "Thales Javelin". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
40. "Centurion (A41)". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
41. "Tank, Heavy No. 1, 120 mm Gun, FV214 Conqueror - Tanks Encyclopedia". Tank Encyclopedia. 2020-04-18. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
42. "The British Chieftain Tank (FV4201)". Fighting-Vehicles.com. 2016-03-20. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
43. "Challenger MBT (1982)". www.tanks-encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
44. "Alvis FV107 Scimitar". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
45. "Fv 101 Scorpion light tank (1972)". tanks-encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
46. "Daimler Armoured Car Mk II". www.dday-overlord.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
47. "Coventry Armored Car". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
48. "Daimler Ferret F701 armoured car 1951". tanks-encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
49. "Alvis F600 Saladin". www.tanks-encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
50. "Alvis F603 Saracen". www.tanks-encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
51. "FV432 APC". www.militaryfactory.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
52. "FV103 Spartan Armored Personnel Carrier | Military-Today.com". www.military-today.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
53. "The Not So Secret Life of the Saxon - Think Defence". www.thinkdefence.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
54. "Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle - Think Defence". www.thinkdefence.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-10-02.
55. "Bedford RL lorries used by the British Army". www.oldclassiccar.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
56. "Bedford TM 4-4 General Utility Truck | Military-Today.com". www.military-today.com. Retrieved 2021-09-29.
57. "Bedford TK-MK (1959)". truck-encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2023-11-11.