Global Defence Review

Global Defence Review: "In the line of fire
FN Herstal's 5.7 System has proved itself through an extensive series of tests overseen and verified by organisations and authorities from around the world.
Much has been said about the choice of NATO not to take a decision about the standardisation of the new PDW caliber. The story goes back to 1990 with the publication of NATO Doc D296 defining the requests of the personal defence weapon as a replacement for the caliber 9mm, declared obsolete and ineffective in the face of new threats and the emergence of new ballistic protections.

Based on those requirements, FN Herstal launched its 5.7 System, comprising a submachine gun - the P90� - and a pistol - the Five-seveN�. Both of these shoot a revolutionary cartridge of 5.7x28mm calibre - the SS190, defeating the new CRISAT target defined by NATO. The inherent qualities of this system gained it immediate interest all over the world, particularly from special forces.

In 1999, other competitors had come on the scene such as the 4.6x30mm caliber. Blocked in its decision process due to a change of standardisation rules, NATO decided to launch a competition between interested candidates. The first tests were made in the UK but the main evaluation was performed in France in 2002 by the ETBS (where six-month tests, comprising 22 different tests took place) and by a quick reaction team (QRT) designed by Nato NAAG in 2003.

Although the QRT clearly mentioned its preferences for the 5.7x28mm caliber, the standardisation process seems to be definitively interrupted.

Brief analysis of ETBS testing
ETBS testing has underlined the following positive points:
Greater effectiveness of the 5.7mm calibre against unprotected targets and equal against protected targets; energy deposit much higher for the 5.7mm
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