REPORT: USMC to Buy Army Modular Handgun System in FY19

army modular handgun system closeup — The M17 or Modular Handgun System is the Army’s newest handgun currently being fielded to Soldiers. The 101st ABN DIV (AASLT), the word’s only air assault division, is the first unit in the Army to field the service’s new handgun. The M17 replaces the M9 pistol, the standard Army sidearm since 1986. The division received more than 2,000 M17s and M18s, the compact version of the M17, Nov. 17, and unpacked, inventoried, inspected and test fired a portion of the pistols, Nov. 27. It began fielding the MHS, Nov. 28.

army modular handgun system prone position firing — Sgt. 1st Class Rocky Butler, a signal support systems specialist from Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, lays in the prone position with the new M17 Modular Handgun System for the first time during the troop’s weapons qualification range Jan. 19, 2018 at Fort Hood, Texas. The 3rd Cavalry Regiment received the new weapons system at the beginning of January, making it the first unit on Fort Hood to receive the Army’s upgraded pistol.

army modular handgun system shooting — Officers and senior noncommissioned officers from Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Troop and the Regimental Support Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, fire the M17 Modular Handgun System for the first time during a weapons qualification range Jan. 19, 2018 at Fort Hood, Texas. The 3rd Cavalry Regiment received the new weapons system at the beginning of January, making it the first unit on Fort Hood to receive the Army’s upgraded pistol.

army modular handgun system instruction — Staff Sgt. Curtis Graham, an instructor at the XM17 range, demonstrates to Soldiers of 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade Headquarters how to properly shoot in the prone position as part of their training Jan. 19, 2018, at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, La. The SFABs allow the Army to reduce, overtime, the demand for conventional Brigade Combat Teams for combat advising. This allow BCTs to focus on readiness for warfighting against near-peer threats.

army modular handgun system demonstration — Soldiers from 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade Headquarters, received a demonstration from Staff Sgt. Curtis Graham, an instructor at the XM17 range, Jan. 19, 2018, on how to properly shoot as part of their training at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, La. The SFABs allow the Army to reduce, overtime, the demand for conventional Brigade Combat Teams for combat advising. This allow BCTs to focus on readiness for warfighting against near-peer threats.

A Soldier with C Company, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) fires the new M17 or Modular Handgun System at the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) indoor range, Nov. 28. The 101st ABN DIV (AASLT), the word’s only air assault division, is the first unit in the Army to field the service’s new handgun. The M17 replaces the M9 pistol, the standard Army sidearm since 1986. The division received more than 2,000 M17s and M18s, the compact version of the M17, Nov. 17, and unpacked, inventoried, inspected and test fired a portion of the pistols, Nov. 27.

Last month, the Department of the Navy released its Budget Estimates Justification Book for USMC procurement in FY19. A section of that DoD report reveals that the USMC has set aside funds to buy the Army Modular Handgun System.

Modular Handgun System

As Military.com points out, Sig Sauer won the $580 million contract to build the Modular Handgun System in 2017. The gun is designed to replace the aging Beretta M9. The Army began fielding its 9mm Modular Handgun System, designated the M17 and M18, in November.

While the Army has adopted the Modular Handgun System, the Marine Corps is still using the M9 for now. But it looks like that’s about to change; the Modular Handgun System was included in the Family of Infantry Weapons Systems section of the DoD report.

“The Modular Handgun System will be purchased to replace the legacy M9, M9A1, M45A1, and M007 pistols with a more affordable and efficient pistol for maintenance,” the report says. “The MHS also provides modularity and greater shooter ergonomics over the current models, which will allow for more accurate fire for military personnel of different sizes.”

According to the document, the USMC will buy 35,000 Modular Handgun System pistols at a cost of $180 per unit.

In addition, Military.com speculates that the Marines want the more compact M18 pistol. This speculation is due to a RFI issued by Program Manager Individual Combat and Equipment (PM ICE) and MARCORSYSCOM in February seeking “industry input that identifies potential sources for holster sleeve for the Modular Handgun System (MHS) (P320 Sig Sauer handgun) Compact (MX18) version.”

The RFI says submissions are due no later than March 30.

The USMC has set aside $28.3 million for its Family of Infantry Weapons Systems. That money will go toward procuring and fielding the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle and Modular Handgun System (MHS). Furthermore, it’ll also go toward the Compact Semi-Automatic Sniper System (CSASS); M320 Grenade Launchers; and Tow Objective Gunner Protection Kit 2.0 (TOGPK 2.0), the document says.

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