U.S. army would like to replace its standard 9mm M9 pistol with a more accurate model 1307141

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Defence & Security News - United States

 
 
Sunday, July 13, 2014 11:08 AM
 
U.S. army would like to replace its standard 9mm M9 pistol with a more accurate model.
The U.S. Army would like to replace its standard 9mm pistols with a more accurate and user-friendly model. U.S. Army officials say they want a new “Modular Handgun System” with more stopping power, accuracy and reliability than the M9 currently in service.
     
The U.S. Army would like to replace its standard 9mm pistols with a more accurate and user-friendly model. U.S. Army officials say they want a new “Modular Handgun System” with more stopping power, accuracy and reliability than the M9 currently in service.
U.S Marine Chief Warrant Officer 3 Michael Sierra, the Regimental Combat Team 5 ordnance officer and Staff Sgt. Jeremy Martinez, RCT-5 personal security detachment platoon commander fire their M9 pistols.
     
U.S. Army officials say their inventory of more than 200,000 semi-automatic Beretta M9 and Sig Sauer M11 pistols has become outdated, worn out and needs to be replaced with an updated model that also offers more reliability and durability.

The Defense Department will reportedly buy more than 400,000 new pistols if and when officials agree on a new model.

There have been no reports on how much the new weapons will cost, amid budget concerns. However, in September 2012, Beretta received a 5-year, $64 million firm-fixed-price contract for up to 100,000 of its M9 9mm pistols, according to Defense Industry Daily.

The program would eventually replace hundreds of thousands of M9s across the military, with the other services likely adopting whatever the Army adopts, since it has the largest budget for small-arms development. The M9 has been used widely through the services since the 1980s, when the military replaced the larger .45-caliber 1911 pistol used at the time with guns that fire the 9mm NATO round used now.