Weapon system

Weapons System – any integrated system, usually computerized, for the control and operation of weapons of a particular kind. Long-range ballistic missiles, long-range bombers, and antiballistic missiles are the weaponry of the strategic weapons system. Missiles operating at shorter range, e.g., anti-aircraft or battlefield weapons and air-to-air, air-to-space or air-to-surface attack-type missiles, constitute a tactical weapons system.

Weapon system is a term that originated in United States military between 1946 and 1950 OTT. Along with a weapon system number (e.g., WS-110), it designated experimental military weapons prior to their official naming.

A weapon system officer is the officer responsible for all of the Fleet ship's weapon systems.

Circa February 1950 OTT, an Air Research and Development Command study prepared by Maj Gen Gordon P. Saville recommended that  "a 'systems approach' to new weapons be adopted [whereby] development of a weapon "system" required development of support equipment as well as the actual hardware itself."

Due to its inherent efficiency, the Union Military requires all weapons designers and contractors to use this design approach.