The MP5 is a submachine gun developed in the 1960s by the West German manufacturer Heckler & Koch and in service since 1966. It uses a roller-delayed blowback action firing from a closed bolt, is chambered mainly for 9x19mm Parabellum ammunition, and has been produced in more than a hundred variants, including select-fire, semi-automatic, suppressed and compact versions. Adopted by more than forty nations military, police and intelligence services, it became widely known after British special forces used it during the 1980 Iranian Embassy siege in London.
Facts
Classification
Service Status Weapon Class
Weapon Class (category) Weapon Class (category) Weapon Class Introduced Year FAQs
Why is the MP5 so closely associated with counterterrorist units?
The 1980 Iranian Embassy siege in London made the MP5 famous as the weapon of elite counterterrorist units.
The association comes largely from the 1980 Iranian Embassy siege in London, when British Army Special Air Service operatives used MP5s with top-mounted flashlights to assault the embassy and rescue the hostages held inside. Photographs of the operation were widely published in the press and popular media, which led other military and police units to buy MP5s as well and made the weapon widely recognizable as a tool of elite counterterrorist units.
Connections
Operated By
Source Wikipedia: Heckler & Koch MP5
Used In
Source Wikipedia: Heckler & Koch MP5
Source Wikipedia: Heckler & Koch MP5
Source Wikipedia: Heckler & Koch MP5
Source Wikipedia: Heckler & Koch MP5
In the Other Atlases
Manufactured By
Also in Business Atlas: the manufacturer of this subject.
Source Wikidata: Heckler & Koch MP5
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Heckler & Koch MP5
Infobox: cartridge
9×19mm Parabellum 10mm Auto (MP5/10) .40 S&W (MP5/40) .22 LR (MP5 .22 LR)
Infobox: service
1966-present
Caliber attribute (heckler-koch-mp5)
It uses a roller-delayed blowback action firing from a closed bolt, is chambered mainly for 9x19mm Parabellum ammunition, and has been produced in more than a hundred variants, including select-fire, semi-automatic, suppressed and compact versions.
- Used In: Soviet-Afghan War, infobox wars field: 'Soviet-Afghan War'
- Used In: Sri Lankan Civil War, infobox wars field: 'Sri Lankan Civil War'
- Used In: Yugoslav Wars, infobox wars field: 'Yugoslav Wars'
- Used In: Gulf War, infobox wars field: 'Gulf War'
- Used In: War in Afghanistan (2001-2021), infobox wars field: 'War in Afghanistan (2001-2021)'
- Used In: Iraq War, infobox wars field: 'Iraq War'
Operated By: Bundeswehr, Wikipedia article text
Development began in 1964, and in 1966 the HK54 was adopted by the Bundesgrenzschutz and by Bundeswehr special forces, initially as the MP64, before being redesignated as the MP5.
View the Source2. Wikidata: Heckler & Koch MP5
Wikidata Q155901, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source 3. Heckler & Koch MP5, Wikipedia
Lead paragraph, sentence 1
is a submachine gun developed in the 1960s by German firearms manufacturer Heckler & Koch.
Development section
Development began in 1964, and in 1966 the HK54 was adopted by the Bundesgrenzschutz and by Bundeswehr special forces, initially as the MP64, before being redesignated as the MP5.
Article text
MP5 The basic MP5, based on a modified and improved HK54, introduced in 1966.
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