It costs over a million dollars to train just one Navy SEAL, so you’d expect them to get only the best when it comes to weapons. In 2006, Navy SEALs decided to ditch their standard SIG SAUER P226 handguns in favor of the Glock 19. This switch caused a massive bump in Glock handgun purchases.
Glock 19’s weigh 1.5 pounds when unloaded, making them about 50% lighter than the SIG SAUER P226 MK25. The biggest benefit for Navy SEALs when using a Glock 19 is that they’re much easier to handle than their previously issued handgun. This helps improve aiming skills, drawing skills and more.
The Ship Self-Defense System (SSDS)
Missiles such as the Evolved Sea-Sparrow and Rolling Airframe require a launcher to properly function, which is where the Ship Self-Defense System comes in. This launcher can also be used to deploy decoys and other defensive measures.
The Ship Self-Defense System offers a huge benefit by being able to automate the fire control loop, which shortens the time it takes from detecting a threat to eliminating it. It’s a very common feature on many Navy units, and has saved many lives over the years.
AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW)
The AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon is another U.S. Navy warfare explosive produced by Raytheon. These air-to-ground bombs are much cheaper than most and feature an internal GPS-inertial navigation system and thermal imaging infrared seeker.
The AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon is mostly used to destroy targets that are outside the normal range of missiles, and allow pilots to stay out of harm's way. The JSOW C-1 variant has an even longer reach, and can be used from more than 60 miles away.
The Evolved Sea Sparrow
The RIM-162 ESSM, also known as the Evolved Sea Sparrow, is a stronger and more advanced version of the aforementioned Sea Sparrow Missile. These upgraded missiles feature counter supersonic maneuvering abilities, making them very hard to intercept in mid-flight.
Evolved Sea Sparrows work in tandem with the Aegis Combat System, which holds up to four of these at once. Such advanced missiles don’t come cheap, as each one costs a million dollars. This means that your average fully-loaded Aegis Combat System is carrying about four-and-a-half million dollars’ worth of equipment.
Heckler & Koch HK416
Heckler & Koch HK416 is widely known for its use by Navy SEAL units. It's one of a SEAL’s main weapons, and was recently used to kill Osama Bin Laden. An HK416 weigh 6.5 to 8.5 pounds and can be bought by U.S. civilians all across the United States.
Almost every division of the U.S. government and military force uses the Heckler & Koch HK416, including the CIA, FBI, Marine Corps and even the NASA Emergency Response Teams. The weapon has become quite popular due to its lightweight, high reliability, and easy customization.