Joint Combat Pistol
The Joint Combat Pistol was the name for a former US program for a new military sidearm to replace the M9 Pistol, extant from late 2005 to early 2006. The program was started in 2005 and run by USSOCOM. It is the result of a merger of two earlier programs, the army's Future Handgun System (FHS) and the Special Operations Forces Combat Pistol. Current requirements for the JCP include being chambered for caliber .45 ACP, having an integrated Picatinny rail, including day/night sights, and being capable of accepting a suppressor.
On March 10, 2006 a modification to the earlier request was made, changing the name from Joint Combat Pistol to Combat Pistol. The number of pistols sought was reduced from 645,000 handguns to 50,000. This effectively reverted to the SOF Combat Pistol program in terms of its scale, as the army dropped its participation.[1] In the autumn of 2006, the Combat Pistol (CP) program was suspended indefinitely.[1]
In a 2007 supplemental session, the congressional defense sub-committee appropriated $5 million to a Joint Combat Pistol study.[2]
Background
A new cross-service US military sidearm is a notable event in that there have been only two major adoption programs over a 100-year span of military history. While new sidearms were adopted at a fairly steady pace in the late 19th century, the 20th century yielded only the M1911 (the result of a 1900 program) and the M9 (the result of a 1980s program). The previous adoption took over a decade, involved several acts of Congress and multiple lawsuits, and stirred up great controversy. The current program might have been shelved (such as the XM8 rifle program) or result in few problems, though there is a great deal of potential for controversy. The short-lived JCP program was not an exception, only surviving a few months before being drastically scaled back and renamed. Its successor, the Combat Pistol program fared even worse, being halted just a few months later.
Overview of 2005 JCP solicitation
This was based on original solicitation, which was later modified, and finally, heavily changed in March 2006, with the program renamed to Combat Pistol.
- The notice starts: The USSOCOM intends to issue a solicitation to obtain commercially available non-developmental item (NDI) Joint Combat Pistol (JCP) system, Caliber .45 (ACP).
- Two configurations required: One with no external safety and the other configuration will have an external safety.
- The 'Combat Pistol System' is to consist of:
- a Caliber .45 pistol (designed for A475 and AA18 rounds)
- Magazines (standard and high-capacity);
- Suppressor Attachment Kit
- Holster
- Magazine Holder (standard and high-capacity)
- Cleaning Kit and Operator's Manual.
- Estimates for max procurement quantities for the system are listed as
- 45,000 no external safety
- 600,000 JCP with the external safety configuration
- 649,000 Holsters
- 96,050 Standard Capacity Magazines
- 192,099 High Capacity Magazines
- 667,000 Magazine Holders
- 132,037 Suppressor attachment kits
While this is the max procurement, in comparison the initial order for M9 pistols was for 300,000 pistols (followed by more later).
Timeline
A Q&A listed the following projected dates:
- Final RFP Release: Projected in January 2006
- Proposal Response Deadline: Projected in March 2006
- Expected Contract Award Date: Projected in 4Q FY06.
- Projected First Delivery Order date and Quantities: The government will issue the first delivery order at time of award of the basic contract. Currently IDIQ minimum quantity is 12 each JCPs without external manual safety which will be awarded as the initial Delivery Order.
JCP and CP candidates
A large variety of .45 ACP pistols were entered into the competition. These include the:
- Beretta PX4 Storm
- Fabrique Nationale FNP45-USG
- Glock 21SF
- Heckler & Koch HK45C
- Para-Ordnance LDA 1911
- Ruger P345
- SIG P220 Combat
- Smith & Wesson M&P
- HS-45 (sold as the Springfield Armory XD in the United States)
- Taurus PT 24/7 OSS