conventional warfare

conventional warfare (uncountable)

1. The waging of war in a manner which does not use nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons.
2. The waging of war in set military battles, as opposed to waging guerrilla warfare or fighting insurgencies.

• 1965, "Strongest & Longest," Time, 8 Oct.,

  For McNamara's buildup, which has given the armed forces the capacity to respond flexibly to guerrilla and conventional warfare as well as to nuclear attack, the defense budget this year will be $7.5 billion higher than the last Eisenhower defense budget in 1960.

• guerrilla warfare

• conventional weapon