Open Source Munitions Portal
Tool Description: A specialist OSINT database that helps identify weapons and munitions from images, videos, and fragments.
Open Source Munitions Portal
Quick Overview
What it does
It helps investigators match visual evidence like bomb fragments or missile parts to known weapon types.
How to use it
Search or browse by munition type, compare visual evidence and match markings, shapes, and components against a curated reference library.
Cost
Free.
Account required
No.
Cookies
Basic security and session cookies.
Ownership
Developed by Airwars and ARES with academic and investigative partners.
Use in Reporting
Great for verifying weapon types in conflict reporting, supporting attribution, and strengthening evidence in visual matches.
What does Open Source Munitions Portal do?
OSMP is essentially a forensic reference library for weapons where you can compare the munition you’re looking at against a structured, expert-reviewed dataset.
It’s especially useful when you’re dealing with grainy social media footage, photos of debris or unexploded ordnance, partial markings or fragments, and conflicting claims about what weapon was used.
The lowdown: It’s a focused, evidence-driven tool that helps turn raw imagery into credible munition identification.
How to Use:
1. Start with your evidence. Grab a clear frame from a video or photo and look for shape and structure, tail fins or guidance kits, markings or serial numbers, and damage patterns.
2. Apply the search filters on OSMP to narrow down possibilities.
3. Once you’ve got a shortlist, compare visual features side-by-side and cross reference with external sources.
Cost
Data Processing
Account Required:
Cookies:
The cookies used handle basic security (bot detection and verification) and keep your session active as you browse the site.
Use in Reporting
OSMP is useful for:
Identifying and verifying munitions used in specific incidents.
Strengthening attribution claims with visual evidence.
Challenging false or misleading narratives.
Adding technical precision to conflict reporting.
You can view use cases here. For example, NYT used images from the OSMP as key corroborating evidence to identify the U.S.-made missile taken by Iran near the deadly school strike.
Capabilities
Limitations
Advanced filtering based on contextual and technical data.
Not exhaustive. Some munitions may be missing.
Visual comparison of munitions and fragments.
Risk of confirmation bias if filters are applied too narrowly.
Structured, research-backed database.
Dependent on your image quality and visible features.
Bridges gap between raw footage and expert analysis.
Requires careful interpretation.
Summary
OSMP is typically used in the analysis and verification stage of the OSINT workflow and is most effective when treated as part of a wider investigative workflow.
Ownership
According to the website, “OSMP was devised and created by non-profit civilian harm watchdog Airwars and Armament Research Services (ARES), a technical intelligence consultancy specialised in munitions, and designed and developed by Rectangle. The project was supported by the Google News Initiative, the European Media and Information Fund and the Reva and David Logan Foundation.
Ethical Considerations
Avoid definitive claims without strong supporting evidence.
Be transparent about uncertainty e.g. ‘possibility’, ‘unconfirmed’.
Handle graphic or sensitive material responsibly.
Consider how findings may be used or misused.
Maintain impartiality in conflict analysis.
Related Tools:
Armament Research Services (ARES)
Google reverse image search
Satellite imagery platforms (e.g. Google Earth)
Sources
https://bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more/all-tools/open-source-munitions-portal
https://airwars.org/open-source-munitions-portal/
https://www.kcl.ac.uk/events/open-source-munitions-portal-launch
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