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Germany Heckler & Koch
USP
A polymer-framed service pistol developed for the U.S. military's SOCOM trials, whose modified variant, the Mk 23, became the standard sidearm of U.S. Special Operations Command. The USP line is widely issued to German and international police and military units.
In service since 1993 · 25 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
50
m range
352
m/s
15
rds
💲 ≈ $850 — Approximate retail/military unit price
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
German export-licensed
BAFA licensing with strict end-use review; approvals can be politically constrained.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Widely fielded · 25 operators
In service since 1993. Status: active · ~500,000 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
Unit cost known; one-shot / small-arms class has no meaningful O&S tail to model.
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Effective range
Distance at which the weapon reliably hits point targets. Higher extends engagement envelope.
- 50 m Stronger than 50% of pistols
- Muzzle velocity
Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration.
- 352 m/s Stronger than 40% of pistols
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Main armament
Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.
- 9×19 mm Parabellum
- Caliber
Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better — ammunition commonality matters.
- 9 mm
- Ammunition
Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity.
- 15 Stronger than 43% of pistols
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 0.19 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 1 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 1
- Barrel length
Barrel length — longer improves muzzle velocity and accuracy, shorter improves handling.
- 108 mm
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $850 Stronger than 17% of pistols
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 500,000 Stronger than 36% of pistols
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 25 Stronger than 62% of pistols
Specifications compiled from public Heckler & Koch and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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How many crew does the Heckler & Koch USP require? +
The Heckler & Koch USP requires a crew of 1.
What is the main armament of the Heckler & Koch USP? +
The Heckler & Koch USP's primary weapon is the 9×19 mm Parabellum.
What is the Heckler & Koch USP used for? +
The Heckler & Koch USP is a pistol & sidearm typically used for infantry combat.
How many countries operate the Heckler & Koch USP? +
The Heckler & Koch USP is operated by 25 countries.
How much does the Heckler & Koch USP cost? +
The Heckler & Koch USP has an approximate unit cost of 850 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.
