Documents
Germany Heckler & Koch
MP5
A roller-delayed blowback submachine gun renowned for its exceptional accuracy and controllability, adopted by police and special-operations units in over 40 countries. Its design became the global benchmark for close-quarters submachine guns for decades.
In service since 1966 · 40 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
200
m range
800
rpm
400
m/s
30
rds
💲 ≈ $1,500 — Approximate military/law-enforcement 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 · 40 operators
In service since 1966. Status: active · ~10,000,000 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.
- 200 m Bottom 8% of rifles
- Rate of fire
Rounds per minute (cyclic). Higher increases suppression and hit probability.
- 800 rpm Stronger than 75% of rifles
- Muzzle velocity
Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration.
- 400 m/s Bottom 3% of rifles
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.
- 30 Stronger than 58% of rifles
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 0.68 m
- Empty weight
Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.
- 3 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.
- 225 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.
- $1,500 Stronger than 76% of rifles
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 10,000,000 Top 9% of rifles
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 40 Stronger than 82% of rifles
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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Tula Arms Plant AEK-971 Frequently asked questions
How many crew does the Heckler & Koch MP5 require? +
The Heckler & Koch MP5 requires a crew of 1.
What is the main armament of the Heckler & Koch MP5? +
The Heckler & Koch MP5's primary weapon is the 9×19 mm Parabellum.
What is the Heckler & Koch MP5 used for? +
The Heckler & Koch MP5 is a rifle & long arms typically used for infantry combat.
How many countries operate the Heckler & Koch MP5? +
The Heckler & Koch MP5 is operated by 40 countries.
How much does the Heckler & Koch MP5 cost? +
The Heckler & Koch MP5 has an approximate unit cost of 1,500 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.
