ordnance
This term specifically denotes the heavy machinery of war, such as cannons, missiles, and artillery shells. It carries a formal, technical tone and is typically used in military or governmental contexts rather than casual conversation. Grammatically, this noun is uncountable. It refers to a collective mass of weaponry and equipment, meaning it does not have a plural form and cannot be counted with numbers; instead, one must use partitive phrases like a piece of ordnance or a shipment of ordnance to refer to individual items.
Meanings
Military weapons, ammunition, and the equipment used to maintain them.
"The army transported its heavy ordnance to the front lines."
The department or agency responsible for the procurement and maintenance of military weapons.
"He worked for the royal ordnance in the nineteenth century."