Product Code Database
Small arms and light weapons ( SALW), in arms control protocols, is two main classes of man-portable weapons.
NATO, Small arms and light weapons (SALW) and mine action (MA)
Small arms, broadly speaking, are individual-service (i.e. for carry and operation by individual infantrymen) kinetic projectile . These include: (, , , and machine pistols), , , shotguns, (, , , designated marksman rifles, short-barreled rifles, , etc.), , personal defense weapons, squad automatic weapons, and light machine guns.
Light weapons, broadly speaking, are infantry-portable weapons that are either crew-served kinetic firearms, incendiary devices, or shoot explosive . These include: anti-materiel rifles, , general-purpose machine guns, medium machine guns, unmounted heavy machine guns, portable , , , underslung grenade launchers, grenade launchers, automatic grenade launchers, , rocket-propelled grenades, man-portable anti-tank system, man-portable air-defense systems, and mortars under caliber.
Small arms and light weapons also include ammunition, explosives, hand grenades, land mines, and any other man portable weapons not listed above.
In contrast, the term "heavy weapons" generally refers to any other weapon systems that are too cumbersome for foot transportation and hence have to rely on weapon mount installed upon gun carriage/, watercraft, aircraft or for effective operation.
The ITI, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 8 December 2005, defines small arms and light weapons as:
Such arms control policies and treaties are focused on international arms trafficking (importation and export), and in the standardization of laws, protocols and sharing of law enforcement information and best practices across nations to prevent illicit arms sales. They also focus on terrorism, arms proliferation as a humanitarian concern, disarmament in the face of extreme violence, and cases of ameliorating anarchy, civil war and international conflict. SALW provisions are generally not oriented towards imposing or enforcing domestic national or local legislation of legitimate gun ownership or sale.
On 26 September 2013 the UN Security Council passed Resolution 2117, which urged nations to remain committed to small arms embargoes and SALW control protocols.
Work on SALW via the United Nations is coordinated by the Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), though the UN Coordinating Action on Small Arms (CASA) mechanism, which comprises 21 UN departments and agencies working on different aspects of small arms and light weapons control. The United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), carries out research in arms control affairs and has published many articles and books related to small arms and light weapons.
On 2 April 2013, the UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to adopt the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) to govern the legal international trade in many types of conventional weapons, from warships and aircraft to small arms and light weapons. A basic obligation of the treaty is that all States Parties should establish or maintain controls in the area. In this way, the treaty also helps the international community to address unregulated or illegal trade in conventional weapons. The treaty opened for signature on 3 June 2013. To date, two-thirds of UN member states have signed the treaty (130 states), and 72 have ratified it. The treaty entered into force on 24 December 2014.
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