The 19 most game-changing weapons of the last 15 years

YouTubeThe YAL Airborne Laser Testbed's turret assembly

We've come a long way since the stealth bomber.

Just as smart gadgets have invaded our homes and revolutionized our lives over the last 15 years, next-level weaponry has transformed the military.

The imperatives of the military have always been one of the main drivers of technological development.

ARPANET, one of the internet's most important precursors was a Pentagon project, while most of the technology in an iPhone originated with the US Department of Defense.

Today, militaries all over the world are still pushing technological boundaries. Since the turn of the millennium, weapons featuring a vast range of technical sophistication have proven to be game-changers.

Everything from concealed roadside bombs - cheap, primitive, and deadly  - to multi-billion-dollar aerial lasers have transformed conventional methods of combat and altered the world's technological and political landscape.

Here are 19 of the most important weapons of the last 15 years.