What happens when a standard shipping container becomes the packaging for a military system? The Box That Fights is a visual catalogue of publicly reported systems that are housed in, launched from, or built into containers.
Explore the timeline · Source code and dataset
Making a scattered subject browsable
The catalogue places systems on a vertical timeline spanning 2010–2026. Each entry brings together a name, manufacturer, country, date, summary, image, and sources. The repository documents 64 systems across 22 nations and nine classes, from missile launchers to modular mission systems.
Colour-coded categories distinguish concealed cargo, container form-factor systems, and modular deck launchers. These distinctions help explain how differently the same familiar box can be used.
A spreadsheet behind the timeline
The editable dataset lives in an Excel workbook. A Python build script converts it to JSON, which a single-page HTML, CSS, and JavaScript site renders as the timeline. This keeps additions and corrections manageable without editing the interface for each entry.
The project combines independent research with information design. Entries link to their sources and credit their images; dates and technical details reflect the available public reporting and may change as more information emerges.