American military technology during World War II US cruisers and battleships had their guns directed using information gathered from the ship's radar. American military technology during World War II American military technologies developed during World War II became more advanced and specialized as the war progressed. The technologies produced ranged in complexity from relatively simple items such as small arms and armored vehicles, including tanks, to more complex items such as the atomic bomb. The latter, produced under the secretive Manhattan Project, proved to be an incredibly powerful weapon that revolutionized warfare and was used to end the war. Other technologies, such as the M4 Sherman tank,
Main battle tank Development of the universal tank ceased, and Centurion entered service just as World War II finished, becoming a multi-role vehicle forming the main battle tank force of the British army (and other nations through export). The addition of the 20 pounder gun in 1948 gave the tank a significant advantage over other tanks of the era. This paved the way for a new tank classification, the main battle tank, and Centurion is considered by many to be the first MBT as designed. A surplus of effective WWII-era designs in other forces, notably the US and the Soviet Union, led to