Military

Enola Gay — the B-29 bomber that released the Hiroshima bomb Enola Gay The Enola Gay is the Boeing B-29 Superfortress that dropped the atomic bomb Little Boy on Hiroshima in August 1945. It remains a preserved and controversial artifact of World War I…

Ensign (military rank) Ensign (rank) Ensign is a junior commissioned rank in many armed forces, historically tied to the bearer of a flag; it denotes the lowest grade of commissioned officer in several navies and has…

Envelopment (military tactic) Envelopment Envelopment is a maneuver that attacks an enemy's flank or rear to compel battle on an unfavorable axis. It includes single, double and turning envelopments and carries both decisi…

Eurocopter AS-532 Cougar A militarized development of the Super Puma family, the AS-532 Cougar is a twin-engine transport helicopter used for troop lift, medevac, SAR and special operations by many air for…

Eurocopter EC725 Caracal The EC725 Caracal is a long-range, twin‑engine military helicopter from the Super Puma family, designed for troop transport, combat search‑and‑rescue and special operations by Euro…

Eurofighter Typhoon: European multirole combat aircraft Eurofighter Typhoon A concise overview of the Eurofighter Typhoon: design, development, capabilities, operators and notable features of the European multirole combat aircraft.

Fabian strategy A military doctrine of delay and harassment that avoids decisive battles, aiming to wear down an enemy by attrition; named after the Roman general Fabius Cunctator and used in many…

FAMAS — French bullpup assault rifle FAMAS FAMAS is a French-designed bullpup assault rifle adopted in the late 1970s. Chambered for 5.56×45mm NATO, it served as France’s standard service rifle and is noted for its compact…

Fanjunkare (military rank) Fanjunkare Fanjunkare is a historic military rank name used in several European armed forces, originally tied to the role of standard-bearer and later applied to senior non-commissioned or of…

FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia) — overview and history FARC Colombian guerrilla group formed in the 1960s with Marxist roots, involved in prolonged insurgency and narcotics financing, which signed a 2016 peace accord and completed disarmame…

Fat Man — plutonium implosion atomic bomb used at Nagasaki Fat Man Fat Man was the plutonium implosion-type atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945; its design, development and use marked a pivotal moment in the nuclear age.

Feigned Retreat: tactic of simulated withdrawal and counterambush Feigned retreat Feigned retreat is a deceptive military maneuver in which forces pretend to flee to lure pursuers into a vulnerable position, then reverse to ambush or envelop the enemy; used sinc…

Fiat G.50: Italian WWII Single-Seat Fighter Fiat G.50 Compact overview of the Fiat G.50 'Freccia', an Italian single‑engine, single‑seat WWII fighter: design, service history, operators, variants and its role in early air combat.

Fiat G.91 — Italian light fighter and ground-attack jet Fiat G.91 Compact Italian single‑engine jet developed for a NATO light fighter requirement; used as a fighter, attacker and trainer by Italy, West Germany and Portugal and later evolved into…

Field army (military formation) Field army A field army is a large operational-level military formation comprising multiple corps and support units, led by senior generals and used to conduct campaigns across a theater of o…

Field Artillery in the American Civil War Overview of Civil War field artillery: types of guns and ammunition, organization and crews, mobility and tactics, technological change and battlefield role.

Field gun A field gun is a mobile artillery piece intended to accompany armies in the field, offering direct and indirect fire support. It evolved from horse-drawn light guns to mechanized a…

Field Marshal — senior military rank, role, history and distinctions Field Marshal A summary of the Field Marshal rank: its role, insignia, historical development, equivalents in other services and countries, appointment criteria, and notable facts.

Fighter aircraft: design, roles, history and modern variants Fighter aircraft Comprehensive overview of fighter aircraft covering design characteristics, components, roles, historical development, weapons, and distinctions among modern types.

First Battle of Kernstown (March 23, 1862) First Battle of Kernstown A March 1862 engagement in the Shenandoah Valley in which Confederate General Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson suffered a tactical defeat that nonetheless had important strategic consequ…

First Battle of Maryang San An October 1951 Korean War engagement in which Australian-led Commonwealth forces seized the strategically important Maryang San ridge from Chinese and North Korean troops, improvi…

First Battle of Panipat (1526) First battle of Panipat A concise account of the 1526 battle near Panipat in which Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi, using artillery and mobile tactics; widely seen as the start of Mughal rule in India.

First Battle of the Marne (September 1914) First Battle of the Marne A decisive 1914 battle near the Marne River that stopped the German advance into France, ended the campaign of maneuver and helped produce the trench stalemate of World War I.

First Battle of Winchester (May 25, 1862) First Battle of Winchester A Confederate victory in the Shenandoah Valley during the American Civil War that advanced Stonewall Jackson’s 1862 Valley Campaign and forced Union withdrawal across the Potomac.

First Kashmir War (1947–1948) First Kashmir War The 1947–48 conflict between the newly independent Dominions of India and Pakistan over the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir; a UN-brokered ceasefire left the territory divided…

First Lieutenant (military rank) First Lieutenant A commissioned officer rank used in many armed forces, typically senior to second lieutenant and junior to captain; duties, history, and international variations explained.

Flag of Japan (Nisshoki / Hinomaru) Flag of Japan The national flag of Japan features a red sun disc on a white field. This article explains its names, design, history, naval variant, cultural role, and contemporary significance.

Flag of Maine The state flag of Maine features the state coat of arms on a blue field. Its imagery — a moose, pine tree, farmer, seaman and the North Star with the motto Dirigo — symbolizes land…

Flagship: naval command ship and its wider uses Flagship Originally the vessel from which a fleet commander flew a flag, a flagship now also denotes a leading product, store, station or service that represents an organisation's prime cap…

Flame fougasse: WWII improvised incendiary mine and anti‑tank device Flame fougasse A flame fougasse is an improvised incendiary mine that uses an explosive charge to project burning liquid. Developed in Britain in 1940, it served as an area‑denial and anti‑armor…

Flamethrower: history, design, battlefield role, and modern uses Flamethrower A flamethrower projects a stream of ignited fuel. This article explains its design, historical development from ancient incendiaries to World Wars, battlefield effects, decline, le…

Flanking Maneuver: Principles, History, and Military Applications Flanking maneuver A flanking maneuver is an attack on an opponent's side or rear aimed at degrading their ability to fight or move. This article explains how flanking works, its history, distinction…

Fleet Air Arm (Royal Navy's Naval Aviation Branch) Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm is the Royal Navy branch responsible for operating naval aircraft — fixed-wing and rotary — from carriers, ships and shore bases, performing reconnaissance, strik…

Flying ace (fighter ace) Flying ace A flying ace is a military pilot credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft. The term originated in World War I and became both a technical benchmark and a cultural sy…

Flying Tigers (American Volunteer Group) Flying Tigers The Flying Tigers were a volunteer group of American pilots who fought in China in 1941–42 under Claire Lee Chennault, noted for their P-40 fighters, shark-mouth nose art, and earl…

FMA IA-58 Pucará Argentine twin‑turboprop counter‑insurgency and ground‑attack aircraft developed by FMA in the 1960s; rugged, two‑crew design used for close air support, reconnaissance and trainin…

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 (Würger) — German World War II fighter Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Single-seat German fighter introduced in 1941. The Fw 190 combined a powerful radial engine, heavy armament and rugged construction, serving in air-superiority and ground-attack ro…

Fokker D.XXI — Dutch single‑engine fighter of the 1930s Fokker D.XXI 1930s single‑seat, single‑engine fighter by Fokker. Served with the Netherlands, Denmark and Finland in early World War II; noted for ruggedness and operational practicality despit…

Fokker Dr.I: World War I German Triplane Fighter Fokker Dr.I The Fokker Dr.I was a German triplane fighter of World War I, famed for its maneuverability and association with Manfred von Richthofen. It saw limited service due to structural is…

Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket (FFAR) — the 2.75-inch "Mighty Mouse" Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket Unguided 2.75-inch rocket with deployable fins, developed as the FFAR or "Mighty Mouse" for air-to-air use and later adapted for broad air-to-surface roles on US military aircraft.

Fort Campbell (U.S. Army installation) Fort Campbell Fort Campbell is a U.S. Army base on the Tennessee–Kentucky line, home to major combat and aviation units, with long service history and strong ties to nearby Clarksville and Nashv…

Fort Knox: U.S. Army Post and the United States Bullion Depository Fort Knox Fort Knox is a U.S. Army installation in Kentucky best known for the United States Bullion Depository and its long history as a military post named for Henry Knox.

Fort Leavenworth: U.S. Army Post and Military Education Center Fort Leavenworth Fort Leavenworth, founded in 1827 in Leavenworth County, Kansas, is the oldest active U.S. Army post west of Washington, D.C. It is a center for officer education, doctrine develop…

Fort Rouge (historic fortification) Fort Rouge (fortification) Fort Rouge was an early fortification and trading post in what is now Winnipeg, Canada. Its precise site is uncertain; the name survives in local place names and in accounts of 18t…

Fortification: Military defensive works, structures, and history Fortification Fortification is the practice and art of designing defensive works—from ancient city walls and castles to bastions, trenches, and modern hardened structures.

Fourth Anglo-Dutch War (1780–1784) Fourth Anglo-Dutch War A naval and commercial conflict between Great Britain and the Dutch Republic during the American Revolutionary era that weakened Dutch trade and reshaped European maritime politics…

Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871): origins, campaigns and consequences Franco-Prussian War War between France and a Prussian-led German coalition (1870–1871) that ended the Second French Empire, unified Germany, and reshaped European politics and borders.

Freikorps: German volunteer and post‑World War I paramilitary formations Freikorps Freikorps were German volunteer military units whose name dates back centuries; after WWI they became right‑wing paramilitary groups that suppressed uprisings, fought in border con…