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Category
Submachine Gun
Barrel
229 mm
Weight, empty
2.25 kg
Introduced
2016

About

What it is, and why it matters

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The Caracal CMP 9 is a 9x19mm submachine gun featuring an advanced blowback operating system with a bolt-over-barrel design for improved balance and recoil management. Built with 7075-T6 aluminum upper and lower receivers, the CMP 9 uses AR-style fire controls for familiar ergonomics while accepting widely available MP5-pattern magazines. The non-reciprocating ambidextrous charging handle and compact overall dimensions make it well-suited for close-quarters operations.

The CMP 9 was designed to give Caracal a complete portfolio spanning from pistols to heavy sniper rifles. By combining MP5 magazine compatibility with AR-15 ergonomics, Caracal created a platform that would be immediately familiar to operators trained on either system-a pragmatic design philosophy for the diverse military and law enforcement customers in the Gulf region.

First introduced at SHOT Show 2016. The civilian semi-automatic version is available through Caracal USA. The military select-fire variant adds full-automatic capability. Also available with a 6-inch integrally suppressed barrel (SD variant). The 9-inch barrel provides significantly better velocity than typical SMG barrel lengths.

Specification

Everything measured

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IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.

Manufacturer
Caracal International LLC
Category
Submachine Gun
Country
United Arab Emirates
Status
In production
Produced
2016

DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.

Barrel
229 mm
Overall length
436 mm
Weight, empty
2.25 kg

ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.

Action
Blowback
Firing mechanism
Hammer fired
Trigger
Single stage
Capacity
30
Magazine
Detachable box

MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.

Frame
Aluminum alloy
Barrel
Steel
Finish
Hard anodized

BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.

Muzzle velocity
400 m/s
Muzzle energy
596 J
Effective range
200 m
Maximum range
1800 m

Trajectory

What the round does downrange

Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.

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0 m418 m/s

01252503755006 m0501002003004005006008001000

Features

What it has

What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.

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  • Advanced blowback system
  • Bolt over barrel design
  • Non reciprocating charging handle
  • Ambidextrous controls
  • Ar style fire controls
  • 7075 t6 aluminum receivers
  • Mp5 magazine compatible
  • Picatinny rail top
  • M lok handguard
  • Collapsible stock

Standing

How it compares

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Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.

MeasurementThis firearmMedianPosition
Empty weightAmong 201 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns2.25 kg3.18 kgLighter than about 90%
Overall lengthAmong 200 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns436 mm723 mmShorter than about 90%
Barrel lengthAmong 202 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns229 mm213 mmLonger than about 60%
Magazine capacityAmong 204 9x19mm Parabellum submachine guns3032Holds fewer rounds than about 70%

Answers

Questions about the CMP 9

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How much does the CMP 9 weigh?

The CMP 9 weighs 2.25 kg (4.96 lb) empty.

What caliber is the CMP 9?

The CMP 9 is chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum.

How many rounds does the CMP 9 hold?

The CMP 9 holds 30 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.

How long is the CMP 9?

The CMP 9 is 436 mm (17.2 in) long overall, with a 229 mm (9.02 in) barrel.

Who makes the CMP 9?

The CMP 9 is made by Caracal International LLC (United Arab Emirates).

When was the CMP 9 introduced?

The CMP 9 was introduced in 2016.

How does the CMP 9 operate?

The CMP 9 uses a blowback action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.

Compatibility

Which parts fit this firearm

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Studio

Every part that mounts on this, resolved

Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.

  • Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
  • Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
  • The same answers through the API and the MCP server

Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.

Provenance

What the record holds

Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.

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In service

United Arab Emirates Armed Forces
United Arab Emirates

Provenance

Stockists

Where to buy

Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.

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No shop has listed this firearm yet

Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.

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MCP

Ask an assistant about it

The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.

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Ask GunSpec

Works with

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Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.

API

The call that returns this record

The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.

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curl --request GET \  --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/caracal-cmp9' \  --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'
Response
{  "id": "caracal-cmp9",  "name": "CMP 9",  "manufacturer": {    "id": "caracal",    "name": "Caracal International LLC",    "countryCode": "AE",    "foundedYear": 2006,    "website": "https://www.caracal.ae",    "logoUrl": null,    "description": null,    "status": null,    "defunctYear": null,    "stateOwned": null,    "makesFirearms": null,    "parentId": null,    "predecessorId": null,    "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38",    "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:43",    "version": "e964e1444e27ed5ed66a0a57da9429679f3da3bb42f063c0c5b775eafe4a944a"  },  "category": {    "id": "submachine-gun",    "name": "Submachine Gun",    "description": "Automatic firearms chambered in pistol calibers"  },  "country_of_origin": "AE",  "year_introduced": 2016,  "barrel_length_mm": 229,  "weight_empty_g": 2250,  "action_type": "blowback"}