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Weapons System

Uzi

Small Arms And Sidearms

The Uzi is an Israeli open-bolt, blowback-operated submachine gun designed by Major Uziel Gal and manufactured principally by Israel Military Industries, with a completed prototype in 1950 and adoption by Israel Defense Forces special units beginning in 1954. Its telescoping bolt design let the magazine sit inside the pistol grip, producing an unusually compact weapon built from stamped sheet metal with few moving parts for ease of maintenance. Over 2 million Uzis have been manufactured and the weapon was exported to more than 90 countries, and from the 1960s through the 1980s more Uzis were sold to military, police and security markets worldwide than any other submachine gun ever made. The Israel Defense Forces phased the Uzi out of frontline service during the 1980s and formally retired it in December 2003, though variants remain in limited use with specialized units around the world.

Facts
Classification
Caliber
9x19mm 1
Caliber
.45 ACP 1
Caliber
.22 Long Rifle 1
Caliber
.41 Action Express 2
Caliber
9×19 mm Parabellum 2
Caliber
9×21mm 2
Service Status
In Service 1
Weapon Class
Submachine gun 1
Introduced Year
1951 1
Introduced Year
1954 2
Weapon Class
Weapon Class (category)
Submachine Gun 1
Weapon Class (category)
Machine Gun 1
FAQs

What were the main limitations of the Uzi in service?

Sand exposure and a short effective range of about 200 meters, which suited it to close encounters.

Military Factory describes the Uzi as generally reliable, but it notes two weaknesses. The weapon suffered when exposed to sand and similar environments, and its effective range of about 200 meters restricted it to close encounters with the enemy. The same source also credits its compact size as a strength, since vehicle crews and second-line troops could carry a weapon with a high volume of fire in confined spaces.
Connections

Associated With

Six-Day War, Wars

Israeli forces carried the locally designed Uzi submachine gun into the 1967 Six-Day War

Operated By

Indian Army, Armed Forces and Units
Source Wikipedia: Uzi
Israeli Defense Forces, Armed Forces and Units
Source Wikipedia: Uzi

Used In

Angolan Civil War, Wars
Source Wikipedia: Uzi
Burundian Civil War, Wars
Source Wikipedia: Uzi
Falklands War, Wars
Source Wikipedia: Uzi
First Congo War, Wars
Source Wikipedia: Uzi
Six-Day War, Wars
Source Wikipedia: Uzi
South African Border War, Wars
Source Wikipedia: Uzi
Sri Lankan Civil War, Wars
Source Wikipedia: Uzi
Syrian Civil War, Wars
Source Wikipedia: Uzi
Vietnam War, Wars
Source Wikipedia: Uzi
Yom Kippur War, Wars
Source Wikipedia: Uzi
Yugoslav Wars, Wars
Source Wikipedia: Uzi
In the Other Atlases

Manufactured By

China North Industries Group Corporation Limited

Also in Business Atlas: the manufacturer of this subject.

Source Wikidata: Uzi
FN Herstal

Also in Business Atlas: the manufacturer of this subject.

Source Wikidata: Uzi
IMI Systems

Also in Business Atlas: the manufacturer of this subject.

Source Wikidata: Uzi
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Uzi
Wikipedia
  • Lead section, Uzi Wikipedia article
    a family of Israeli open-bolt, blowback-operated submachine guns and machine pistols
  • History and operational use section, Uzi Wikipedia article
    The Uzi was officially adopted in 1951.
  • Article text
    The Uzi's compact size and firepower proved instrumental in clearing Syrian bunkers and Jordanian defensive positions during the 1967 Six-Day War. Though the weapon was phased out of frontline IDF service in the 1980s, some Uzis and Uzi variants were still used by a few IDF units until December 2003, when the IDF announced that it was retiring the Uzi from all IDF forces.
  • Infobox: cartridge
    .22 LR .41 AE .45 ACP 9×19mm Parabellum 9×21mm IMI
  • Infobox: service
    1954-present
  • Used In: Six-Day War, infobox wars field: 'Six-Day War'
  • Used In: Vietnam War, infobox wars field: 'Vietnam War'
  • Used In: Yom Kippur War, infobox wars field: 'Yom Kippur War'
  • Used In: Angolan Civil War, infobox wars field: 'Angolan Civil War'
  • Used In: Falklands War, infobox wars field: 'Falklands War'
  • Used In: Sri Lankan Civil War, infobox wars field: 'Sri Lankan Civil War'
  • Used In: South African Border War, infobox wars field: 'South African Border War'
  • Used In: Yugoslav Wars, infobox wars field: 'Yugoslav Wars'
  • Used In: Burundian Civil War, infobox wars field: 'Burundian Civil War'
  • Used In: First Congo War, infobox wars field: 'First Congo War'
  • Used In: Syrian Civil War, infobox wars field: 'Syrian Civil War'
  • Operated By: Israeli Defense Forces, Wikipedia article text
    There is a wooden stock with a metal buttplate that comes in three similar variations that were used by the IDF.
View the Source
2. Wikidata: Uzi
Wikidata Q155644, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
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