The largest-ever contract for a military pistol or handgun is finally on the brink of coming to fruition, with industry experts relishing the prospect of a specially-designed weapon system to equip the wider US Armed Forces. An Rfl was released by the US DoD's Modular Handgun System (MHS) programme of record in January 2013 following a series of historical and failed attempts to replace the in-service 9mm Beretta M9 pistol. The requirement is expected to provide some 500,000 weapon systems and several industry days have dozens of interested companies whetting their appetites to design a pistol fit for the full spectrum of US Armed Services ranging from the USSOCOM through to the Army, Navy, and USAF. However, anticipation of this enormous contract (the DoD is expected to release an RfP next year) has ignited debate once more regarding the optimal calibre and operating system of the modern day handgun, as well as the best utilisation of ancillaries and other options. As opposed to the larger family of assault rifles, very little has changed in the realm of the pistol for many years now. The fact that close relations of the Browning 9mm M1911 (which was first distributed to the US Army in 1911) have, up until very recently, been issued to Armed Forces around the world, proves this very claim. Progress has continued at a rather slow pace. Additionally, this very pistol has been modified between .45-calibre and the smaller 9mm rounds, proving an ever-changing emphasis on the size of projectile used by military and law enforcement communities.
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