Research Note 11, Analysing the Online Arms Trade in Opposition-controlled Syria, provides ‘first-look’ analysis of more than 800 trades of small arms, light weapons, munitions, and blank-firing weapons conducted during a three-month period between 1 November 2020 and 31 January 2021. This short note is intended as the first step in an ongoing hybrid publications
Armament Research Services (ARES) is pleased to announce the release of Research Report No. 11, Cartridges of Caracas: The illicit trade in small-calibre ammunition in Venezuela’s capital. Research Report 11 adds an analysis of ammunition to the information presented in Research Report 10, which looked a the online trade of small arms and light weapons
Armament Research Services (ARES) is delighted to announce the release of Research Report No. 10, Black & Grey: The Illicit Online Trade of Small Arms in Venezuela. The culmination of a long-running investigation, Research Report 10 examines a new and thriving segment within Venezuela’s black-market arms trade, which has proliferated primarily through social media and
Armament Research Services (ARES) is very pleased to announce the release of Research Report No. 9, Menace or Myth? A Closer Look at the “Cop-killer” 5.7 × 28 mm Cartridge. This latest research report investigates the myths and misconceptions surrounding the FN Herstal 5.7 × 28 mm cartridge, assessing the technical characteristics of both the
Armament Research Services (ARES) is pleased to announce that Silah Report—a research endeavour exploring contemporary and historical small arms & light weapons in the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia regions—will be joining the ARES team. Silah Report will operate as an independent, non-commercial subsidiary, providing timely, public, and regionally focused ‘first-look’ research. ARES
Headstamp Publishing has just announced the launch of their first Kickstarter campaign, serving as a pre-order mechanism for Chassepot to FAMAS: French Military Rifles, 1866 – 2016, authored by ARES Researcher Ian McCollum, who also runs the popular Forgotten Weapons YouTube channel. As Headstamp writes: French small arms have played a unique role in global firearms
Arms and ammunition are evidence. Many weapons carry marks that, combined with their physical characteristics, reveal important information about them, including their manufacturer, age, and origin. This information, in turn, provides vital clues about the sources and flows of weapons in the area in which they were found. ARES personnel have worked with the Small
Ian McCollum, a Researcher with ARES and the Editor of Forgotten Weapons, recently interviewed ARES Director N.R. Jenzen-Jones. They discussed a wide range of topics addressing the adoption, stockpiling, use, and proliferation of (primarily) modern arms and munitions, both in the hands of states and non-state actors. This interview supports an ongoing series of videos
The Libyan revolution deposed the Qaddafi regime in 2011, bringing to an end the tight regulation of the domestic arms trade. Military stockpiles were raided, and small arms and light weapons made their way into the hands of non-state armed groups and private sellers. The subsequent conflicts after the fall of the Qaddafi regime have
Artillery systems have played a critical role in modern warfare. Estimates place the total number of casualties inflicted by artillery during the conflicts of the 20th century at between 50 and 80 per cent. The vast majority of munitions fired from artillery systems deliver a high explosive payload and, increasingly, conflicts have taken place in
