German Army Begins Search For New Service Pistol
The Bundeswehr launched its search for a new pistol in November 2024. The tender’s deadline was listed as 4 December, but its unknown what the timeline for the procurement process is although the contract duration is listed as 84 months (or 7 years).
The tender, posted on the European online procurement platform TED, provides a brief description of the requirements for the desired new 9x19mm service pistol [machine translated]:
“The pistol with a cross-section of 9mm x 19 caliber is intended to serve as secondary armament and in special situations as primary armament for soldiers of the German Armed Forces. The combat distance is planned for up to 25 m, the effective range for distances of up to 50 m. The pistol is intended to be able to be used in confined spaces and in special situations in which long weapons are not a suitable means of fulfilling the mission, and to have the necessary assertiveness for this.”
The new pistol will replace the P8, P8 Combat and P8A1s currently in service. The Heckler & Koch USP was adopted as the P8 in 1994. Interestingly, the BAAINBw’s (the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support) announcement notes that the selection will be 100% based on unit price. The three most economical offers will be invited to negotiations.
There are additional restrictions on which vendors can submit bids to the competition. A prospective vendor must have a pistol which has been “introduced in a quantity of over 5000 pistols in the military sector of a NATO state in the last five years or be about to be introduced (award already awarded).” This may for instance make the Walther PDP, which recently won a German Special Forces contract for just over 5,000 pistols (as the P14 / P14K), eligible to compete in the tender.
Most intriguingly, however, is the stipulation that: “There are no plans to carry out comparative testing. Any requirements will be verified at the latest with the integrated verification. However, these must be confirmed in advance by self-declarations and, where necessary, by own test reports.”
The criteria and the number of pistols to be procured have not been released to the public. The progress of the tender is currently unknown, pending public announcement by the BAAINBw. The German Army has recently selected the HK 416 as their next service rifle - the G95A1 & G95KA1, and an HK417 variant as a new 7.62x51mm designated marksman rifle, the G210.
Managing Editor: TheFirearmBlog.com & Overt Defense.com. Matt is a British historian specialising in small arms development and military history. He has written several books and for a variety of publications in both the US and UK. Matt is also runs The Armourer's Bench, a video series on historically significant small arms. Here on TFB he covers product and current military small arms news. Reach Matt at: matt@thefirearmblog.com
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It is interesting that competitive trials will not take place. Germany requires an external safety and unless Glock put one on their pistols, they would be ruled out. Perhaps the VP9 A1 will be chosen with some modifications demandded by the Bundeswehr. or, if a demand for quality comes into the contest, the Walther PDP will be considered as well. It will be interesting to see what the result is.
Maybe the PPK?