The U.S. Army has announced the final teams to take part in the Sub Compact Weapon programme.  Six of the companies which responded to the Army’s Prototype Opportunity Notice have been selected for testing and evaluation, The Firearm Blog reports.

According to the Firearm Blog, the Angstadt Arms, B&T USA, Global Ordnance, Shield Arms, SIG SAUER and Trident Rifles have been selected by the U.S. Army to take part in the Sub Compact Weapon programme.

Of the six companies who have been selected only three were previously contracted: the Angstadt Arms Corporation for the Angstadt UDP-9 Sub Compact Weapon, SIG Sauer. for the SIG Sauer MPX Sub Compact Weapon and Trident Rifles for the B&T MP9.

In a contract notice issued on 26 July asking for Prototype Opportunity Notice (PON) for Sub Compact Weapon (SCW) System, the U.S. Army Contracting Command-New Jersey has said Personal Security Detail (PSD) military personnel require weapons with greater lethality than pistols that are more concealable than rifles.

The ultimate objective of this program is to acquire a highly concealable Sub Compact Weapon (SCW) system capable of engaging threat personnel with a high volume of lethal force while accurately firing at close range with minimal collateral damage.

After an evaluation, a follow-up award will then be given to one company for up to 350 Sub Compact Weapon systems, which could include an option for added quantities of up to 1,000 Sub Compact Weapon systems that “may be exercised in quantities no greater than 350 SCW systems.”

The weapon could fire pistol magazines common to the Army’s newest sidearm, the M17 pistol, part of the Modular Handgun System.