IAC-Council-Conventional

ASIPSS                   
Center For
NonProliferation

Conventional Weapons

     Conventional weapons or conventional arms generally refer to weapons that are in relatively wide use that are not weapons of mass destruction. Conventional Weapons encompass a wide range of equipment not limited to armored combat vehicles, combat helicopters, combat aircraft, warships, small arms and light weapons, landmines, cluster munitions, ammunition and artillery. Conventional weapons are the most common type of armament globally and historically the most commonly used in conflict. The acceptable use of all types of conventional weapons in war time is governed by the Geneva Conventions. Certain types of conventional weapons are also regulated or prohibited under the United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.

        However, there is a significant lacking of global rules regulating the trade of conventional arms. Several United Nations instruments, including the Register of Conventional Arms, have attempted to build confidence and minimize the risk of conflict by encouraging states to make the quantity and type of arms they transfer more transparent. The Arms Trade Treaty seeks to prohibit irresponsible arms transfers and prevent the shipment of arms to conflict zones where they are likely to exacerbate violence and contribute to repressions and human rights abuses.