History Main / ArchaeologicalArmsRace

* The Ancient Belka wars of the ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'' franchise was fueled by this and the LensmanArmsRace, with nations also scrambling to find various [[LostTechnology Lost Logia]] to give themselves an advantage over their enemies. The [[CoolStarship Cradle of the Saint Kings]], for example, was not made by the Ancient Belkans, but was a Lost Logia whose origins could be traced back to [[NeglectfulPrecursors Al-Hazard]].

* ''TurnAGundam'' has all the major Earth-bound factions trying to [[RagnarokProofing dig up and salvage old mobile suits]] from previous Gundam Eras in a bid to defeat each other as well Gym Gingham's lunar forces.

* In ''Literature/TheStand'', the good guys' main concern (once they've begun to rebuild, at least) is taking care of Randall Flagg before he starts utilizing all the old military weapons and equipment that are now free for the taking. Flagg's minion Trashcan Man is particularly adept at finding these new toys and getting them in working order.

* In ''Literature/TheStand'', the good guys' main concern (once they've begun to rebuild, at least) is taking care of Randall Flagg before he starts utilizing all the old military weapons and equipment now free for the taking. Flagg's minion Trashcan Man is particularly adept at finding these new toys and getting them in working order.

* In ''Literature/TheStand'', the good guys' main concern (once they've begun to rebuild, at least) is taking care of Randall Flagg before he starts utilizing all the old military weapons and equipment now free for the taking. Flagg's minion Trashcan Man is particularly adept at finding new toys and getting them in working order.

* A recurrent theme in some of PhilipKDick's short stories, with [[AfterTheEnd post war survivors]] whose lives are dependent on ancient or alien technology and in some cases the will and resourcefulness needed to acquire them.

* In ''{{Xenogears}}'', most of the best [[HumongousMecha Gears]] used in the war between Aveh and Kislev are dug up relics from previous wars, not newly manufactured. This naturally leads to conflicts over the best salvage sites.

%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1344132377014457100
%% Please do not change or remove without starting a new thread.

* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' episode "The Chase" features several factions - Federation, Klingons, Cardassians and Romulans - who are all after a DNA code left by Precursors. Said code has been broken into several pieces, with various pieces in the possession of each of the aforementioned factions. The Klingons, in particular, think it's a weapon, while the Cardassians think it will yield an unsurpassed power source.
* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episode "A Private Little War" was an allegory of the Vietnam War, with both factions being armed by humans and Klingons.

* In the ''Warhammer40K'' universe, this is often the case when different factions in the [[HumansAreTheRealMonsters Imperium of Man]] end up fighting each other, as they've become technologically stagnent and most of their best technology is either relics they've dug up (or stolen from each other) or created by the few xenos they haven't killed on sight.

* This is alluded to in ''RaidersOfTheLostArk'', since both the CIA and the Nazis might want to use it as a weapon (although it's more of a powerful ''spiritual'' artifact than lost technology).

* The second season of ''TransformersPrime'' has the Autobots and Decepticons racing each other to retrieve the Iacon Relics - Cybertronian LostTechnology which was scattered across Earth for safekeeping.

* The ''{{Fallout}}'' games evoked this trope, as the Brotherhood of Steel is sometimes depicted as going to any length to secure pre-war weapon technology. ''New Vegas'' was particularly blatant about this, featuring a power plant which a fanatical Brotherhood leader (hoping to dig up an ancient weapon system) defended to the bitter end, refusing to abandon the site despite his forces being massively outnumbered by the NCR.

** Another notable faction is the secretive group known as the Seekers. Commonly thought to be nothing more than outlandish tomb raiders, their goal is to use Ancient technology to help humanity reclaim the world from the various monsters and hazards. They are at odds with the Empire at the point the games take place, despite some initial common ground.

* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': Several factions are after a DNA code left by Precursors. The Klingons in particular think it's a weapon.

* There's a lot of this going on in ''{{Stargate SG-1}}''. Several Earth factions are desperate to get their hands on ''any'' alien technology in order to gain a political edge and also ensure survival against the Goa'uld threat. Meanwhile, all of the galactic factions (including Stargate Command) are scrambling to find any [[{{Precursors}} Ancient]] technology that might be left behind.

* In the ''Warhammer40K'' universe, this is often the case when different factions in the [[HumansAreBastards Imperium of Man]] end up fighting each other, as they've become technologically stagnent and most of their best technology is either relics they've dug up (or stolen from each other) or created by the few xenos they haven't killed on sight.

* The entire conflict in ''MetalFatigue'' is based around this; three brothers working for their [[HumongousMecha Combot]] building family business discover alien technology, setting off a war between it and two other companies (one of which each of the brothers ends up working for). Naturally the best way to get the best parts is to find said alien technology (as well as stealing parts you've blased off enemy combots).

-->''No artificer or wizard can replicate the powerful artifacts found in Xen'drik. These objects wait to be found, and with international tensions already heightened by the Last War, possession of deadly magic weapons could easily shift the balance of power.''

-----

* ''StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': Several factions are after a DNA code left by Precursors. The Klingons in particular think it's a weapon.
* ''StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episode "A Private Little War" was an allegory of the Vietnam War, with both factions being armed by humans and Klingons.

!Examples:

[[AC: Anime and Manga]]

[[AC: Film]]

[[AC:Literature]]

[[AC: LiveActionTelevision]]

[[AC: TabletopGame]]

[[AC: VideoGame]]

[[AC: Western Animation]]

[[AC: RealLife]]