Navy SEALs & Marines Acquire Weapons, Pistols & Guns That Operate “Underwater”

by Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization

Undersea drones, amphibious attack, land-based ocean attacks, submarine surveillance and integrated land-sea operations continue to be a growing focus for the US Marine Corp and highly amphibious special units such as US Navy SEALs, as the threat environment increasingly requires an ability for combat forces to transit across undersea, coastal and island areas for multi-domain operations. 

Following years of land-centered operations, the Marine Corps has in recent years been accelerating a shift to its maritime roots and multi-domain land-sea combat operations. The same is true of the Navy SEALs. This means more island-hoping, amphibious attack operations, coastal land-sea patrols and missions and more multi-domain connectivity and manned-unmanned operations.

These increasingly prioritized amphibious attack concepts of operation, something becoming increasingly vital in the Pacific, has been driving the Corps to acquire and prioritize weapons systems and technologies capable of functioning in both a maritime and land-war environment. The Corps is setting up a special maritime Pacific regiments and the Navy SEALS have for years prioritized ocean-land combined reconnaissance, hostage rescue and attack operations. 

This helps explain why the Corps is acquiring a new high-speed, multi-domain Medium Amphibious Ship for Island hopping and sea-land operations and tailoring, adapting and acquiring weapons systems able to operate in undersea, surface and land combat environments. 

The Glock 19 is no exception, as its ability to function underwater is a key reason why its popularity among Navy SEALs and Marines continues to grow, 

Glock 19 ********

The Glock 19 has quickly become a favorite of the U.S. Navy SEALs for the sidearm’s ability to function underwater, better shooting capabilities, and being less prone to corrosion.