KRISS USA Will Pursue U.S. Army Modular Handgun System Contract
In a short statement released exclusively to Bearing Arms this afternoon, KRISS USA has confirmed that they are joining the hunt to replace the Beretta M9 as the U.S. Army’s new service pistol.
Tim Seargeant, Kriss’s Marketing Manager confirmed that the Swiss-based group will be submitting a variant of the Sphinx SDP. The SDP line of pistols includes subcompact, compact, and standard-frame double-action/single-action (DA/SA) pistols with an ambidextrous decocker, based on the CZ-75.
A number of civilian law enforcement and military special operations forces use Sphinx pistols around the world, where they’ve developed a reputation for reliability and accuracy.
If the SDP variant they submit is from the existing Compact line (example shown above), it will join the Detonics Defense/STI STX as the only metal-framed handgun submitted for the MHS contract. If the variant submitted is from the SDP Alpha line, it will be the only variant with a hybrid frame consisting of an aluminum alloy upper frame and a polymer lower frame (standard frame Alpha example shown below).
Presently, commercial Sphinx SDP are available in 9mm offerings only, though the basic CZ-75 on which is draws it’s heritage can be chambered in 9mm, 9×21, .40 S&W, 10mm, .45 ACP and other similarly-sized pistol cartridges.
Source: http://bearingarms.com/confirmed-kriss-usa-will-pursue-u-s-army-modular-handgun-system-contract/
That’s all well & good, and I’m a big fan of the CZ-75, but the whole MHS only leaves me asking, “why?”. If we transition to more effective ammunition, what will we accomplish with a new platform, aside from the massive cost of the new weapon?
Are we just trying to accommodate little female soldier hands? If the M9 is too unwieldy for some soldiers, is a new pistol in 45 ACP really going to help? Or is the 15 ounce weight savings in a polymer frame going to change infantry tactics when you’re humping an 80lb pack?
Please, someone explain this to me.