Eli5: Why are weapons(guns, tanks, some planes) named with numbers and letters?

Question

Eli5: Why are weapons(guns, tanks, some planes) named with numbers and letters?

In: 3

Answer 1

Weapons are often named with numbers and letters to denote different versions of the same weapon. For example, an M4 rifle is a variation of the M16 rifle. The numbers and letters can indicate the model, type, size, and other characteristics of the weapon.