Aircraft ordnance orordnance (in the context ofmilitary aviation) is any expendable weaponry (e.g.bombs,missiles,rockets andgunammunition) used bymilitary aircraft. The term is often used when describing thepayload ofair-to-ground weaponry that can be carried by the aircraft or the weight that has been dropped in combat.^{[citation needed]} Aircraft ordnance also includesair-to-air,anti-ship andanti-submarine weapons.

Some aircraft types can carry a wide variety of ordnance – for example, theFairchild AU-23 Peacemaker could use forward-firinggun pods, 500 and 250 pound bombs,napalm units,cluster bomb units, flares, rockets, smoke grenades andpropaganda leaflet dispensers.^[1]

Ordnance can be carried in abomb bay or hung from ahardpoint.

For many weapons there is a limit to the length of time they can be flown (e.g. because of vibration damage); after this their safety or effectiveness is not guaranteed. This can be a problem if weapons designed for high intensity conflict are carried on multiple missions in a longcounter-insurgency campaign.^[2]

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Ordnance can be divided intoguided andunguided categories based on their targeting capabilities.Guided ordnance, such asPrecision-guided munitions(PGMs), use advanced technologies likeGPS,infared,radar orlaser tracking to precisely hit designated targets.^[3][4][5]Unguided ordnance, commonly known as "dumb bombs," lack guidance systems and rely on the aircraft’s release parameters to strike a target. Though less accurate, unguided bombs are often used for area strikes and are more cost-effective.^[5]

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• List of aircraft weapons

• Aircraft weapons

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