An inventory of some special US military units' equipment, as of the year 2001. Many are featured in Delta Green.
US Coast Guard
The Coast Guard mostly issues the military standard 9×19mm Beretta M9 pistol (Model 92F), although a few 9×19mm SIG-Sauer P226 pistols are also in service. Other small arms include the 5.56×45mm Colt M16A2 burst-fire rifle (AR-15A2 Model 645) and 18.5×70mmR (12-gauge) Remington M870 pump-action shotgun. In the late 1990s, a 12.7×99mm sniper rifle was adopted.
A neat vehicle used both by the US Coast Guard and the US Navy SEALs is the Cyclone-class Patrol Boat, Coastal (PC). A 52 m craft with a crew of 28 plus 9 passengers, more than 3,000 km range, two 25×137mm McDonnell Douglas MK38 MOD 0 Sea Snake chain guns, one 40×53mmSR Saco MK19 MOD 3 automatic grenade launcher coaxial with the aft MK38 MOD 0, two 12.7×99mm Saco-Browning M2HB twin machine gun mountings, two 7.62×51mm Saco M60 machine guns and two 70mm General Dynamics FIM-92C Stinger surface-to-air missile launchers.
Helicopters include the Sikorsky HH-60J Jayhawk (S-70B), Aérospatiale HH-65A Dolphin (AS 366G Dauphin) and MD Helicopters MH-90A Enforcer (MD 900 Explorer). The MH-90A is armed with a 7.62×51mm Saco M60D and used in the Caribbean.
US Navy
Naval Investigative Service (NIS)
The standard weapon used to be the 9×33mmR (.357 Magnum) Ruger Model 207 Speed-Six revolver, but has been the 9×19mm SIG-Sauer M11 pistol (P228) since 1992. Other weapons include the 9×19mm IMI Model 39 Uzi and Model 46 Mini-Uzi submachine guns and 18.5×70mmR Mossberg M590 Mariner pump-action shotgun.
US Navy Development Group (DEVGRU)
DEVGRU was formerly known as SEAL Team Six. The SEALs adopted the 9×19mm SIG-Sauer P226 pistol as their standard handgun in 1986. It is still in service, a new batch was purchased in 1999. The 11.43×23mm (.45 ACP) H&K MK23 MOD 0 OHG suppressed pistol is in service since 1995, but not quite as popular as the SIG-Sauer because of its bulk. Some 9×33mmR (.357 Magnum) S&W Model 686 revolvers are also used, mainly for combat diver operations.
The SEALs have special versions of the 9×19mm H&K MP5-series in service since 1985, the so-called Navy models. These include the MP5KN machine pistol, MP5N submachine gun and MP5SDN suppressed submachine gun. In 1995, the 5.56×45mm Colt CAR-15A2 Model 727 assault carbine was replaced by the 5.56×45mm Colt M4A1 SOPMOD assault carbine (CAR-15A3 Model 927).
The long rifle used is the 5.56×45mm Colt M16A3 assault rifle (AR-15A3 Model 901). For desert operations the obsolete but long-ranged 7.62×51mm Springfield M14 OTB rifle is held in stock, some of them fitted with folding stocks taken from the Beretta BM-59 Ital Para. Sniper rifles include the 7.62×66mmB (.300 Winchester Magnum) Redick Arms M91 bolt-action sniper rifle (a modified Remington Model 700) and 12.7×99mm McMillan M88PIP bolt-action rifle. In 2000, the new 7.62×51mm KAC MK11 MOD 0 semi-automatic sniper rifle (SR-25) was adopted, replacing the 7.62×51mm Springfield M14 Sniper Security Rifle.
The machine guns used are the 5.56×45mm FNMI MK46 MOD 0 light machine gun (a special version of the FN MINIMI-Para, similar to the M249E4) and the 7.62×51mm Saco MK43 MOD 0 machine gun (M60E3).
Their standard shotgun has been the 18.5×70mmR Mossberg M590A1 Mariner pump-action shotgun, now being replaced by the Remington Model 870PS. The 18.5×70mmR KAC Master Key underbarrel pump-action shotgun (under M4A1) is used for entry-action.
The 40×46mmSR Colt M203A1 underbarrel grenade launcher is mounted under the carbines. Portable antitank weapons include the 84mm Alliant M136 LAW light antitank weapon and the 84mm FFV M3 MAAWS recoilless rifle.
Air support is provided by heavily armed Sikorsky HH-60H helicopters.
US Army
75th Ranger Regiment
The Rangers mostly use standard Army infantry weapons. The sidearm today is the 9×19mm Beretta M9 pistol (Model 92F). The 9×19mm H&K MP5K machine pistol, 9×19mm H&K MP5A3 submachine gun and 9×19mm H&K MP5SD3 suppressed submachine gun have been in the inventory since 1979/1980. Longarms include the 5.56×45mm Colt M4 assault carbine (CAR-15A2 Model 720), 5.56×45mm Colt M4A1 assault carbine (CAR-15A3 Model 927) and 5.56×45mm Colt M16A4 assault rifle (AR-15A3 Model 905). For sniper rifles, the Rangers got the 7.62×51mm Remington M24 SWS bolt-action rifle and the 12.7×99mm Barrett M82A1 SASR. The Rangers field the 5.56×45mm FNMI M249E3 SAW and 5.56×45mm FN M249E4 SPW light machine guns (both improved FN MINIMI-Para versions with short barrel and retractable stock), plus the 7.62×51mm FNMI M240B machine gun (improved FN MAG) for heavy suppressive fire. The 40×46mmSR Colt M203A1 underbarrel grenade launcher is mounted under carbines, the 40×46mmSR Colt M203 under rifles. Portable antitank weapons include the 84mm Alliant M136 light antitank weapon (FFV AT4), the 83mm Talley M141 BDM bunker defeat munition, the 84mm FFV M3 MAAWS recoilless rifle (M3 Carl Gustaf) and the 127mm TI/Martin M251 Javelin antitank missile.
In 1992 the Rangers adopted Land Rover 110LWB SOV 4×4 vehicles, armed with M240B and 12.7×99mm Saco-Browning M2HB machine guns.
US Army Special Forces
Each man has a 9×19mm Beretta M9 pistol (Model 92FS) and a 5.56×45mm Colt M4A1 assault carbine (CAR-15A3 Model 927). Three men per 12-man A-team have a 40×46mmSR Colt M203A1 underbarrel grenade launcher (under M4A1). In addition, each A-team gets two 7.62×51mm Remington M24 SWS bolt-action sniper rifles (based on Model 700) and two 12.7×99mm Barrett M82A1 sniper rifles, plus 84mm Alliant M136 LAW antitank rockets.
The support battalion also has 5.56×45mm Colt M16A2 burst-fire rifles (AR-15A2 Model 645), 5.56×45mm FNMI M249E1 squad automatic weapons (FN MINIMI), 12.7×99mm Saco-Browning M2HB heavy machine guns and 40×53mmSR Saco MK19 MOD 3 grenade machine guns.
Vehicles include Kawasaki ×L250D8 motorcycles, AM General M1097A2 HMMWV and S&S M1083 MTV trucks.
The 160th SOAR provides Boeing MH-47E and Sikorsky MH-60K transport helicopters and AH-60L gunships.
US Army 1st Special Forces Detachment Delta
Delta operators use a variety of sidearms, among them the standard 9×19mm Beretta M9 pistol (Model 92FS) and the compact 9×19mm SIG-Sauer M11 pistol (P228). The 11.43×23mm (.45 ACP) H&K MK23 MOD 0 OHWS suppressed pistol and 11.43×23mm (.45 ACP) H&K USP Tactical pistol are in service. However, the main sidearm is the 11.43×23mm (.45 ACP) Wilson Special Ops CQB pistol, a Colt M1911A1-clone made to their specifications.
The 9×19mm H&K MP5-series is in use, of course, including the MP5K machine pistol, MP5A3 submachine gun and MP5SD3 suppressed submachine gun. Since the mid-1980s, Delta Force has used the 5.56×45mm Colt CAR-15A2 Model 723 assault carbine, which has now been replaced by the 5.56×45mm Colt M4A1 assault carbine (CAR-15A3 Model 927).
Flight crews use the 5.56×45mm KAC M4A1K Helicopter Aircrewman Weapon, a shortened and sound-suppressed survival carbine. Standard longarm is the 5.56×45mm Colt M16A3 assault rifle (AR-15A3 Model 901). Sniper rifles include the 7.62×51mm H&K PSG1, the 7.62×51mm Remington M24 SWS bolt-action rifle (Model 700), 7.62×66mmB Remington M24 SWS bolt-action rifle (Model 700) and the 12.7×99mm Barrett M82A1.
Suppressive fire is provided by the 5.56×45mm FNMI M249E4 SPW light machine gun (FN MINIMI). The standard shotgun used to be the 18.5×70mmR Mossberg M500ATP8 Cruiser pump-action shotgun. Like all US special ops units, Delta also use the 40×46mmSR Colt M203A1 underbarrel grenade launcher mounted beneath M4A1 and M16A3 rifles. Portable antitank weapons include the 84mm Alliant M136 LAW light antitank weapon (Bofors AT4).
The 160th SOAR provides MDHC MH-6M Little Bird transport helicopters and MDHC AH-6M Little Bird gunships.
Credits
The preceding overview is taken from the Ice Cave. The original text is available in the history of this article, copyright Hans-Christian Vortisch, 2001.