Shrivenham Index

Welcome to the Shrivenham Index
This is an index to defence journal literature produced by indexing significant articles from the Library�s holdings of current defence, management, engineering, and applied science journals. The service provides abstracts of articles and access to the full text online where possible.


42. The Duellists (Full text available via publisher or 3rd party website)

Gourley, S.; Kemp, I.
Jane's Defence Weekly (ISSN: 02653818), Volume 40 Issue 21 Nov 2003, pp26-28

Briefing on personal defence weapons. Report on two competing personal defence weapon calibres - the FN Herstal 5.7 x 28mm cartridge and Heckler and the 4.6 x 30mm ammunition developed by Heckler and Koch, BAE Systems and RO Defence. The success of the PDW calibres will be determined by the military and police users.

43. NATO PDW Standardisation : Watershed Ahead? (Hardcopy available in DCMT library)

Bonsignore, E.
Military Technology (ISSN: 07223226), Volume 27 Issue 11 2003, pp18-23

Article on NATO's attempts to standardise the calibre for a personal defence weapon. Despite deciding that a new self defence weapon is needed, years of discussions have failed to provide the answer on what type of ammunition to use.

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
Level of"

NATO Standardization Agreements

NATO Standardization Agreements: "Personal"

Personal Defence Weapons

Personal Defence Weapons: "sabot"

PDWs or Personal Defence Weapons have become very trendy in military circles. What is worrying is that they are mainly being brought for roles for which they are totally inappropriate. The "stopping power" of the rounds used in these weapons is in many cases being grossly exaggerated and they have often been marketed as superior for close combat.

The term "PDW" seems to have come into vogue around the mid-80s with the marketing of Heckler & Koch's MP5K-PDW, a version of the MP5K with a side-folding stock. The MP5K-PDW (or possibly the stockless MP5K) was worn by some helicopter crews in Grenada. With a 15 round magazine the weapon fitted a thigh holster and a pouch on the other leg could take five 30 round magazines or four 30 round mags and a suppressor.

Around 1996 the meaning of PDW changed. Within NATO there was perceived a need for a compact defensive weapon to arm personnel who didn't or couldn't carry a full-size rifle but needed something more powerful than 9x19mm. It was felt Artillery, Signals, Transport and many other troops that did not perform assault missions needed self protection when performing normal tasks without burden of heavy weapon.

Part of the specification that was to emerge in NATO Document AC/255-D/1177 (2nd Revise) was that it should be able to defeat CRISAT body armour at ranges of up to 200m. CRISAT was defined as a 1.6mm titanium plate backed by 20 layers of Kevlar. Light weight, low recoil and controllability were desirable. Since it was to be a "weapon of desperation" it was deemed acceptable for the PDW to use rounds other than NATO standard 9x19mm and 5.56x45mm.
I refer to this new batch of weapons as "new-breed PDWs", although Sven Ortman more descriptively calls them "Small Calibre High Velocity" or SCHV-PDW.

Personal Defense Weapon: Only for Defense? (Great resource!)

I. Personal Defense Weapon: Only for Defense?

There has been some debate on the criteria, need and tactical role
of the PDW. Let us examine this issue. It can be compared to the
submachine gun. The SMG provided firepower in a smaller package as a
companion arm to the World War II and post-war battle rifles. However,
with the miniaturization leading to the assault rifle, the role of the SMG has
supposedly declined.

Yet the SMG shoots on! Its major disadvantage is lack of range,
because of only firing pistol ammunition. This seeming disadvantage has
many benefits which are low: recoil, muzzle blast, climb, penetration, size,
weight, cost and training time (Taylor, Analysis 14). The Europeans, Israelis,
and Chinese have been more appreciative of the SMG and machine
pistol than the Americans.

The SMG will be more versatile than the handgun and the shotgun
in most tactical situations (Taylor, Sub 8). No one questions its OFFENSIVE
capabilities. Its use has been expanded from the military to police, SWAT
and others.
...

IV. Changing Requirements and Present Criteria for PDW

In 1980 the American Rifleman reported that the Joint Service Small
Arms Program wanted to replace the 1911A1.45 pistol with a 9mm and
improve hit probability (Cowgill 82). Even today the Close Combat
Armament Center brochure of TACOM-ARDEC, Picatinny Arsenal, lists the
M9 as a PDW.

The requirements changed in 1993 from a simple handgun to:
Weight: <1.5 lbs. 100 meter range
Defeat body armor at 50 meters
Hand-free carry and to be worn on person 24 hours a day
Use by special operations troops ( Crist 102, 106).

According to the Army Small Arms Master Plan of 1995, it was
reported that the PDW should be:
<3 lbs. 500-625 ft. range
Concealable Recoil of 9mm
Low magnetic signature Reliable in all weather (Grimes 34-5)
A later report in 1997 indicates:
Replace pistols/SMGs Selective fire
200 meter range Soft/hard target capability
Leap ahead technology
Users: those not armed with rifles, special operations, and law
enforcement ( Steadman, Fighting 21-2).

Nick Steadman reported that the NATO European Staff target for
the PDW as of October 1999 was:
Weight: Handheld – 1 kg (700 gm. desired) Shoulder - 3 kg
Range: 100-200 meters Protected targets: 30-50 meters desired
Suitable while wearing armor, NBC suits and winter clothing (SADW).

According to Mark McFadden of the Picatinny Arsenal, the U.K. has
combined with NATO to develop a PDW replacing the 9mm. However,
the U.S. does not intend to replace its 9 mm systems (E-mail).
U.K. Summary of Requirements:
<.5 meters long Weight: loaded – 3 kg.
Defeat CRISAT protected targets: 150 meters
Off the shelf designs in calibers not used by UK armed forces and in
5.56 will be assessed (no 9mm?)
First batch in service 2003; follow up deliveries: 2004 and 2005
(MoD) (Wood).

In summary, the PDW requirements evolved from a replacement for
the .45 pistol to an entirely new ambitious and even radical firearms
category.

Global Defence Review (2004) - In the Line of Fire

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
• Level of perforation of the CRISAT targets superior to the 150m NATO threshold (> 200m)
• Better internal ballistics of the 5.7x28mm system; leading to a more restricted sensitivity of the 5.7x28mm system to variations in firing conditions (extreme temperatures) compared to the 4.6x30mm
• The 4.6x30mm system is much more aggressive in relation to the weapon: higher internal pressure, variations and deviations are more important

Results of the ETBS evaluation have been analysed by a group of experts from France, USA, Canada and the UK, to determine the calibre that has the greater vulnerability (effectiveness against personnel).Their conclusion was that the 5.7x28mm calibre was undoubtedly more efficient.

An ad hoc working group consisting of technical and operational experts from France, Belgium, Switzerland, USA, Germany, the UK, Italy and the Netherlands met in order to establish a final classification between both calibres. Six criteria were selected, namely incapacitation, hit probability in test tubes, hit probability in weapons with shooters, reliability, internal ballistics and penetrating power. The final outcome based on the results spoke for itself (see table).

Synthesis of the results and QRT analysis
In a first stage, the QRT selected three testing criteria and their respective weights: effectiveness (80 per cent), cost of ammunition (15 per cent) and barrel wear (five per cent).

The results of the QRT analysis (taking into account different remarks made by the competitors on the calculations of lethality have shown that the 5.7mm is 27 per cent more effective (Pi/h) against unprotected targets at 100m than the 4.6mm and 11 per cent more effective than the 4.6 against CRISAT protected targets at the same range.

Regarding the barrel erosion, the conclusion of the QRT was that despite the fact that no significant erosion had been highlighted by the ETBS tests (5,000 rounds), the design of the 4.6x30mm ammunition would suggest a greater potential risk of barrel erosion.

In addition to the abovementioned analysis, the QRT also integrated the calibre potential and its design maturity into its analysis.

• The 5.7x28mm is close to the 5.56mm NATO calibre both by its design and manufacturing process. It can therefore be manufactured easily on the same production lines as the 5.56mm
• The 5.7x28mm system is much more mature than the 4.6x30mm system
• A 5.7x28mm pistol family exists whereas the 4.6x30mm pistol project is only a paper concept

Conclusion
Despite some remaining minor errors in the evaluations, it is clear that at the end of the complete ETBS testing (a six-month intensive testing, more than 20 different tests performed), the 5.7x28mm calibre won this technical competition and the victory was confirmed and amplified by the complementary analysis and tests performed by the QRT. Some countries seem now to question those results or even the evaluation process.

It should be noted that this latter had been clearly defined and was accepted by all actors, industrials as well as national representatives before testing. Unfortunately, NATO policies imply that a general consensus has to be reached before making any decision. Any country can veto any decision anytime without even having to provide acceptable reasons. With such a process, economical or political interests can easily make any project fail miserably.

Finally, let us not forget that at the present time more than 20,000 5.7x28 mm systems are really in service throughout the world, including some NATO countries like Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Portugal, the USA, etc… and that in the end, the major factor of success is, and will remain, customers' satisfaction.

Reliability test

5.7x28mm
Total score = 127
Total score without taking into consideration the Belgian and German values = 96

4.6x30mm
Total score = 107
Total score without taking into consideration the Belgian and German values = 83

Special Operations Technology - Lethal Caliber by Adam Baddeley

Lethal Caliber

For as many calibers as a pistol can be built, there are those that believe that their choice is the best. USSOCOM is looking at available options for handguns.
By Adam Baddeley


There has always been a role for pistols in Special Forces armories. The latest USSOCOM requirement, the USSOCOM RFI for the multi-caliber capable pistol, is seeking information on highly corrosion resistant pistols capable of carrying significant magazines but at weights similar to those of “compact” designs.

The RFI was issued on behalf of the Naval Special Warfare Development Group based at Dam Neck, VA, which has the responsibility for test and evaluation for Naval Special Warfare Command. The command supports 2,450 SEALs and 600 special warfare combatant craft crewmen in active service and provide the bulk of dive capable units in USSOCOM.

The RFI issued in March 2004, closed in April of this same year. If the assessment goes ahead, those companies selected will be asked to provide approximately 10 pistols for assessment in November. Consequently, only pistols available off the shelf today or near non-development items will be compliant with the requirement.

The Naval Special Warfare Development Group established four key criteria for the semi-automatic pistol including: being under 40 ounces in weight; offering either 9x19 mm, .45 ACP or .40 S&W; have minimum magazine sizes of 15, 12 and 10 rounds, respectively; and must include an integrated rail system to the forward lower frame. Reflecting the anticipated need for foreign sourcing of the pistol, USSOCOM stated that it intends to apply for approval of a foreign comparative testing (FCT) project for the evaluation.

Pros and Cons

Recent trends in pistol technology performance and combat experience mean the traditional disadvantages associated with pistols—short range and poor lethality against protected targets—are less relevant than they once were. Their inherent advantages of size and weight are more pronounced, particularly for a weapon optimised for secondary and typically defensive use.

Although Afghanistan is an important exception, operational ranges in dismounted close combat, at least for conventional forces, are being reduced to ranges where the pistol becomes relevant. The USMC’s after action reports from Iraq suggested that engagement rates were being much reduced. This showed that the vast majority of engagements conducted with small arms occurred in the 20-30 meter ranges, shots over 100 meters were rare, and the maximum range was put at 300 meters.

Although less capable by some measurements, the 9x19 mm pistols lend themselves to greater accuracy with single-handed firing. A criticism leveled at 9 mm, and to some extent .45 Automatic Colt Pistol (ACP) and .40 Smith and Wesson (S&W), however, has been their lack of penetrative power against military grade armor.

Mainstream opinion regarding penetration requirements are still influenced by the 1994 NATO Collaborative Research Into Small Arms Technology. This four-year study matched current individual weapons to an expected target definition creating NATO standardization agreements (STANAGS), such as STANAG 4512 “Dismounted Personnel Targets.” It was concluded that current standard 9x19 mm rounds were inadequate to penetrate the expected armour of the Warsaw Pact, i.e. a 1.5 mm titanium plate and 20 layers of Kevlar.

The response to this NATO requirement has been the extended competition to select a new personal defense weapon (PDW) caliber STANAG. Assessments of the Heckler and Koch 4.6x30 mm and the FN Herstal 5.7x28 mm SS190 round found the Belgian round to have a slight advantage in the area of lethality by NATO.

Experience, however, has shown that the operational need to penetrate such body armor has been limited. Last October, NATO initiated its Infantry Weapon Master Plan to look at future requirements a decade out. Chaired by Sweden, the study’s chairman and head of Sweden’s small arms programs Per Arvidsson explained that studies showed the United States have not encountered any substantial use of body armor by combatants.

Furthermore studies completed in 2003 have predicted trends in the percentages of forces using body armor over the next 20 years. Among first world countries, this is currently 50 percent and expected to rise to 90 percent by 2023. For third world countries, this is currently only 5 percent and is predicted to rise to 15 percent by 2023.

Despite this, Arvidsson felt that the consensus at NDIA’s Small Arms Symposium was that militaries would move to the new PDW calibers in the next 10 years.

Critics of the PDW class round allege that Level 4 armor, using ceramic inserts, will pose too great a challenge even for these rounds.

The traditional disadvantages of pistols have been in terms of shorter effective ranges. While these are still evident, they are arguably reduced due to operational circumstances and technological overmatch. However, despite the shortcomings, the inherent advantages of pistols remain.

Advocates note the advantages they offer for single-hand controllability during search operations are increasingly relevant in the war against terror. Such operations have demonstrated the need for a more compact weapon that is useful in the close quarters battle environments ranging from caves to urban slums that only pistols can offer.

Additionally, while platform crews may be issued a carbine, if an aircraft is grounded due to enemy fire or crashes over water, a pistol in a holster is more likely to be retained than a weapon that needs to be grasped with both hands, particularly in an water scenario.

Greater pistol lethality is being achieved via increased use of light and laser accessories for use in under-barrel attachments. This is not the only method being used to increase accuracy. Crimson Trace’s Clyde Caceres said that the company supplied 500 examples of their 5 milliwatt peak laser sight integrated into a number of pistol stock grips to USSOCOM. The company estimates an additional 500 have been supplied via its distributors.

Close quarters combat, especially in urban environments, requires the immediate identification of a target as a friendly or not. Surefire is a leading supplier of handheld flashlights and weapon-mounted illuminators. The X200 Weapon Light is an example of the cutting edge technology that provides on target lighting without reducing the capability of the handgun. The Surefire X200 is built to military standards with tactical operations in mind.

Pistols Currently Available

For European manufactures eying their domestic markets, the impetus for multi-caliber options suggests in part why the FCT option has been selected. Domestic laws limit the number of pistols that can be owned by an individual to as little as two, prompting manufacturers to offer kits to enable owners to swap between calibers very quickly without the need for an armorer’s skills, purely for commercial reasons.

Hecklers and Koch’s (H&K) universal self-loading pistol (USP) enables users to swap between all three calibers cited under the RFI. The production USP variants that meet USSOCOM’s multi-caliber requirements use a recoil operated with improved browning locking, and company-developed recoil-dampening system identical to that of the Mk 23 offensive pistol. While the Mk 23 offers superlative performance, it has a commensurate price tag, weight and training requirement.

H&K frames are downward rather than upwards compatible. The .45 ACP base frame is capable of supporting the .40 S&W and 9 mm slide and barrel, but not vice versa, explained Hilmar Rein, of Heckler and Koch’s sales department. A new spring is required to operate the .45 caliber, although the .40 S&W and 9 mm version can share the same spring. The USP enables conversion from combination double and single action modes and double action only.

The company offers a “slimmed” down version of the Mk 23, the USP Tactical, in .45 ACP only with an unloaded weight of 28.6 ounces. This version offers close to the performance of the Mk 23. The USP Tactical is proven in a number of environments, including 2 hours at undersea depths of 20 meters after the pistol received a proprietary anti-corrosion treatment. H&K intend to release its new 4.6x30 mm Ultimate Combat Pistol in 2005.

The Austrian Steyr M series pistol was launched in 1999. From the beginning of this year, however, it has been superceded in production by the new Steyr M-A1, explained the company’s Christian Simku. The new model has inevitably incorporated some changes. The unloaded M-A1 weighs 27.3 ounces and meets two of USSOCOM’s chamber requirements with an option for either a 12-round .40 S&W or a 15-round 9 mm magazine. A .357 SIG Sauer version is also offered. A significant feature of the new Steyr is the adoption of a M1913 Picatinny rail mount as an integral under-barrel feature rather than a company specific solution.

A significant difference between the new model and those it replaces is a reduced height slide, which coupled with a 111-degree grip (the Glock family uses 105-degree grip), transfers more recoil down the arm reducing upward pressure upon firing.

Another feature of the Steyr is the use of an all-metal magazine, rather than plastic combined with steel inserts. This enables a noticeably smaller grip. Steyr uses the Nitriding process for hardening and is parkerised against corrosion. By June, the M-A1 had been ordered by six customers. The largest is from Mexico, with the other five military and law enforcement customers.

The company’s now discontinued 18 round 9x19 mm Steyr GB had some success in the SF community in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Glock Standard family—comprising the Glock 17, 21 and 22—supports the calibers required by USSOCOM, but needs two different frames to achieve this compatibility. The 9 mm and .40 S&W requirement can be met with one frame in the Glock Standard, but the company uses a wider frame for the .45 ACP and 10 mm rounds. Over 76 percent of the 34 components used in each Glock are common to all pistols. The competition frame promoted by the company as suitable for “special commandos” currently supports 9 mm and .40 S&W only in the Glock 34 and 35.

The new Glock 37 is designed to fire the company’s newly developed .45 GAP round which offers greater lethality than the ACP round of the same caliber. However, the shorter round enables the use of a smaller grip.

Glock claims the toughest pistols due to the Tenifer process, which is applied to the slide and barrel to give it the hardness of 64 Rockwells, which is just three less than a diamond’s hardness, according to Rusbeh Hessabi, Glock’s director of International Sales. This strength is one reason why Germany’s GSG 9 uses the Glock pistols with significantly more powerful Action 1 and Action 4 ammunition.

The company claims that their handguns easily surpass NATO salt-water spray requirements that require the weapon to submit to salt spray testing for 20 minutes without corrosion. Glock pistols can withstand this process for 100-120 hours.

The Glock family is uniquely linked to new accessories developed by Israeli company TDi Arms Ltd. David Oz, international sales manager, explained that they have developed their Universal Tactical Attachment (UTA) designed to add a pistol to an under barrel attachment, a design based on feedback from the user community in Israel.

He added that the UTA was developed for use with the Glock pistols as the attachment makes use of a unique void at the rear of the pistol’s grip. The UTA operational concept would enable the shooter to immediately access the other weapon during reloading or if the main weapon jammed and also permit the use of accessories such as a silencer on the pistol. The UTA is about to undergo assessment by the U.K.’s Metropolitan Police SO19 firearms unit, in London.

The 9 mm SIG P226 Navy has been in use with Navy SEALS since 1986. Each component in the Navy version is heavily protected against salt-water corrosion and carries 15 rounds in 9x19 mm. The company’s most recent pistol, the SIG 250DC, was launched earlier this year initially in 9 mm with a development path to offer .40 S&W and .45 ACP. It is offered with an integrated Picatinny rail.

Israel Military Industries (IMI) completed development of the Barak pistol in 2002, known commercially in the United States as the SP-21. It is lightweight with the 9 mm and .40 S&W variants coming in at 25.7 ounces and the .45 ACP variant at little more at 26.8 ounces. The gun is offered in all three required calibers with 15 rounds in 9 mm and has an integral Picatinny mount.

A key design feature is that the basic frame can support all three of the required calibers. The pistol itself has had limited reach into the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), which currently uses SIG and Glock pistols. The company explained that the Barak was currently under assessment by the IDF for a series buy. IMI also offer 9 mm frangible ammunition.

Elbit Systems has displayed its mechanical “Corner Shot” system, which enables pistols to be fired accurately via a color video camera while the shooter remains behind cover.

Although committed to its SS190 round for future pistols, FN Herstal continues to offer pistols for the more traditional round. Its double action, 10-round FN Four Ninety is offered in .40 S&W only and weighs 740 grams. The company’s FN HP-DA and HP-DAO, the latest iterations of their famous High Power design dating from the mid-1920s, are offered in 9x19 meter only, have no under barrel mount, and, with an unloaded weight of 31.7 ounces, are one of the heavier pistols on the market.

The Five-seveN standard is intended for government users and its military version distinguished from the law enforcement “tactical” variants by its use of a double action only rather than single action trigger. The Five-seveN pistol was developed after the P90 which has sales of several thousand. A number of European special forces operate the 5.7x28 mm round, typically with the P90. In the United States, it has been adopted by the Secret Service and numbers have been acquired by the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab for assessment.

The Beretta 92FS, the company designation for the M9 pistol, continues to eschew the use of a polymer in its manufacture, which shows as its weight at approximately 33.2 ounces It does not have the facility for under barrel accessories. A polymer framed 92 is planned but is not scheduled for release until next year. The 92 family offers a 9 mm as well as a .40 S&W version, although weapons cannot be converted between the two.

Russian armed forces have increasingly taken up the ubiquitous 9x19 mm as their standard round replacing the 9x18 mm round used by the post-war Makarov PM/PMM. The all-steel construction of the Baikal company’s PYa or Yarygin pistol carries 18 rounds and will, funding permitting, be the standard military pistol eventually replacing the Makarov according to leading designer Mikhail Dragounov.

One area of Russian expertise has been in developing more capable ammunition such as the 7N21 9 mm armor piercing round with hardened steel core designed to be used with the PYa. However, the high cost versus the standard 9 mm may mean widespread use is limited. The Baikal plant has the historical distinction of being the largest pistol-manufacturing site in the world achieving annual output of 100,000 pistols during the Soviet era.

Two Polymer framed variants are offered for export, the MP-446 Viking in 9x19 mm and the MP-445 Varyag in both 9x19 mm and 40 S&W. Both use a double hammer firing mechanism and propped breach-locking system.

Also used by a number of Russian special forces is the 9x21 mm SP-10 round. This too has a steel core designed to exceed NATO D/7 requirement by a considerable margin at ranges of 100 meters. The SPS (Samozaryadnyj Pistolet Serdjukova–Serdyukov self-loading pistol) that has reportedly been adopted by Russian SF units uses this round.

China’s Norinco also offers a 9x19 mm pistol, the QSZ-92. It is slightly heavier than the average 26.6 ounces and offers a 15 round magazine and an integrated under barrel mount.

There is the option of a unique domestic 5.8 mm version reflecting the Chinese wish to acquire a round capable of greater body armor penetration.

Conclusion

The enduring relevance of the pistol lies in its weight and size. While it has traditionally been limited by range and penetration issues, the new arenas of combat and closer fighting of recent years has seen it come into its own. The pistol still often remains the weapon of last resort in certain operational circumstances, but with greater accessories and lethality it is now an increasingly useful part of the special forces armory.

P90 (Fan Page)

FN P90

---

Since its introduction on the world arms market in the late 20th century, FN Herstal's P90 PDW (Personal Defense Weapon) has had a number of enhancements made to it, none major but all significant. The look of the gun, which sets it apart from all other small arms, remains unchanged and complements the concept of the weapon. This compact but full-powered weapon was designed primarily for military personnel including communications specialists, drivers, medical workers and others who function in tight quarters that do not lend themselves to even abbreviated rifles. It's interesting to note that FN coined the term PDW, and that it has been picked up by several other world-class arms manufacturers who have adapted their existing weapons systems to present a gun in this category.

The horizons of the P90 have been expanded considerably now, however, in that it is considered appropriate for anti-terrorist actions, rescue missions, VIP protection and other military special operations. In some of these instances it might be considered as a primary weapon when actions are anticipated to be within 200 meters. By design, the P90 is one of the most ergonomic guns in the world. The extensive use of composite materials contributes to the light weight of the weapon system, and the balance of the gun, whether used by a left- or right-handed shooter, is not compromised. There is no buttstock as such to be extended or attached before deployment, and the P90 can be quickly shouldered for action. The rounded corners and edges of the P90 cannot cut or abrade the shooter, or foul his other equipment or snag on vegetation, and there's ample easy access to the trigger even wearing arctic or NBC gloves.

The mechanism of the P90 is quite simple, and without tools the gun breaks down for field stripping into three major assemblies, in addition to the magazine, in about five seconds. The P90 features a blow-back mechanism and fires from a closed breech (which is protected from extreme environments), thereby combining the reliability of the most simple operating system with the accuracy potentials of a full-size weapon. Other details indicate that the PDW needs little or no lubrication, the full-automatic cyclic rate is in the 900rpm range and the gun is capable of firing more than 20,000 rounds before needing any maintainance.

The P90 feeds from a proprietary magazine system designed by FN. The box magazine itself is a see-through, highly resistant polycarbonate that contains 50 rounds of FN's 5.7x28mm ammunition, the only chambering available for the P90. The ammunition is loaded bullets-left into the magazine which is then mounted on the gun on top of the barrel so there is no protrusion as is found on all other weapons systems that do not completely house their magazines. The gun and magazine work together in having the cartridges rotate inside the magazine before being fed into the weapon. Although this sounds less than reassuring, the system has tested reliable over the years.

The enhancements to the original P-90 system are, for the most part, sighting accommodations. The standard arrangement for the P90 is an integrated optical sight with no magnification. The gun can be fitted with a standard NATO sight base that accommodates a wide variety of day and night sights to answer any mission requirements. A laser target designator can be fully integrated into the receiver without affecting the shape, balance or ergonomics of the P90. There are two types of laser systems available for the P90. A red dot visible to the eye under normal and low-light conditions is recommended for conventional situations. When maximum discretion is desired, an IR system can be used, but this requires the user to have night vision equipment to see the dot. In concert with the maximum discretion concept, the P90 can be fitted with a variety of muzzle suppressors.

Military organizations have struggled for generations with two frequently overlapping problems: (1) how to arm troops whose primary mission is something other than the use of small arms; and (2) how to arm troops who need compact firepower for conducting special operations. A remarkable array of pistols, submachine guns and carbines have been fielded over the years in an attempt to give people such as vehicle drivers, operators of crew-served weapons, support personnel and special operators a weapon with the optimum mix of compact size, hit probability, sustained firepower and terminal ballistics. Recent decades have also seen a similar quest in law enforcement to provide superior sidearms and auxiliary weapons for officers facing a changing tactical environment. The result is that sidearms, submachine guns and carbines developed for the aforementioned special military needs have become widely used tools within law enforcement. One of the most provocative attempts to solve the common requirements of both the military and law enforcement is the select-fire P90 Personal Defense Weapon designed and manufactured by Fabrique National Herstal SA of Belgium.

One aspect of the changing tactical environment faced by both the military and law enforcement is that an armed opponent may be wearing body armor. In the late 1970s, the former Soviet Union was the first major power to develop a new class of pistol cartridge, the 5.45x18mm PMT, which was designed to penetrate standard body armor with ease, with the ancillary benefits of improving hit probability and minimizing recoil. Developed by Aleksandr Bochkin in 1979, the bottle-necked cartridge appears to be a scaled-down version of the 5.45x39mm rifle round adopted by the Soviets in 1974 for the AK-74 assault rifle. The Soviets developed a new pistol for the new 5.45x18mm round called the Pistolet Samozaryadniy Malogabaritniy, the "Miniature Semiautomatic Pistol" or PSM for short. Designed by Tikkon Lashnev, Anatoliy Simarin and Lev Kulikov, the PSM superficially resembles a Walther PP pistol and will penetrate up to 55 layers of kevlar at realistic engagement distances. With a steel core projectile weighing 2.4-2.6 grams (37-41 grains, which is less than half the weight of the 9x18mm Makarov round it replaced), a muzzle velocity of 315 mps (1,033 fps) and a powder charge of 0.15 gram (2.3 grains), the 5.45x18mm PMT cartridge also provides a relatively flat trajectory and modest recoil. These qualities improve hit probability when troops of average skill use the PSM as a defensive weapon.

Some NATO planners subsequently became concerned about the issue of body armor on the baftlefield and decided that the 9x19mm cartridge was now obsolete, since it wouldn't penetrate the body armor they imagined would become standard equipment for infantry troops. These NATO planners informally approached the small-arms industry about the possibility of developing a new class of cartridge to replace the 9x19mm NATO round for personal defense. Only two companies were willing to invest the substantial R&D funds on such a speculative venture; Fabrique Nationale of Belgium and Giat of France began the development of new bottle-neck cartridges in the mid-1980s.

The two companies took somewhat different approaches. Giat concentrated on developing a new cartridge resembling a .30 Luger round necked down to .22 caliber, which they called the 5.7x22mm. Fabrique Nationale not only developed a larger round, the 5.7x28mm, but FN also developed a series of innovative weapons around the new cartridge: a select-fire bullpup weapon with a 50-round horizontal magazine on top of the receiver and an extremely accurate, lightweight (19 ounce), high capacity (20 round) pistol called the Five seven. FN publicly announced they were developing a personal defense weapon in 1989 which was scheduled for production 1990. Ironically, however, the P90 was not named for the year of its initial production, but rather for FN's "Project 9.0" which spawned it.

When Giat became the parent company of Fabrique Nationale, Giat abandoned the 5.7x22mm project in favor of FN's more advanced project for several reasons. (1) FN's 5.7x28mm cartridge met all of the NATO requirements. And (2) Giat didn't have a weapon designed for its cartridge but FN had already developed the P90 for its new cartridge. The first public demonstration of the pistol subsequently took place in 1995, and an improved variant went into production in May 1998. The external ballistics provided by FN's 5.7x28mm cartridge are vastly superior to the performance provided by the Russian 5.45x18mm PMT cartridge. As of 1999, the P90 had been adopted by more than a dozen countries in limited numbers.

With an overall length of just 50.0 cm, the P90 is considerably shorter than the 9x19mm H&K MP5 submachine gun or the 5.56x45mm Colt M4 carbine. The P90 weighs 2.5 kg with an empty magazine and 3.0 kg with a fully loaded 50-round magazine, which is similar to the weight of an MP5 with a 30-round magazine. The P90 is just 21.0 cm high with a magazine fitted to the weapon.

The P90 features an optical reflex sight (with no magnification), and a three-position rotary selector beneath the trigger with positions marked "S" for Safe, "1" for semiautomatic and "A" for Automatic. When set on A, the selector provides a double-action trigger similar to the Steyr AUG. Pull the trigger back a little for semiautomatic fire and pull the trigger fully to the rear for full-auto fire. A cyclic rate of 900 rpm enables the operator to obtain two- or three-shot bursts. Shot dispersion remains remarkably tight, thanks in part to the fact that the 5.7x28mm cartridge has about one-third of the recoil impulse produced by the 5.56x45mm round used in the M16 family of weapons. Apparent recoil and shot dispersion are also mitigated by twin operating (recoil) springs and guide rods which, like the trigger, are reminiscent of the Steyr AUG. Sal Fanelli of FN Manufacturing Inc. puts on a particularly impressive demonstration, where he shot a 50-round burst of tracers into the center of mass in a Milpark target at 50 meters. His tightest 50-round burst to date measured 24 cm.

Three rounds are available for the P90. The standard ball round, called the SS190, features an overall length of 40.5 mm, a projectile weight of 2.02 grams and a muzzle velocity of 715 mps. The SS190 projectile features steel core in front of an aluminum core toward the base. The bullet penetrates about 26 cm of 10 percent ballistic gelatin, according to testing conducted at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Academy in September 1997. The SS190 round will also penetrate 48 layers of Kevlar, the typical "Flak jacket" (including CRISAT protection, which is a combination of titanium and Kevlar) worn by infantry to protect them from shrapnel produced by exploding devices, or a standard PASGT (U.S. Kevlar) helmet at 150 meters, which is the effective range of the P90 Personal Defense Weapon. The weapon will still defeat Level 3 body armor at 200 meters. The "maximum effective range" using the NATO definition (the maximum range where a weapon's projectile will still deliver 85 joules on target) is 400 meters. Thus, according to NATO standards, the P90 is theoretically able to deliver a lethal wound on a protected target at 200m and an unprotected target at 400m if the round hits a vital area. It is found through practise that one should not engage targets beyond 150m with the standard SS190 round.

The subsonic SB193 round used for this testing features a lead core boattail bullet with a projectile weight of 3.58 grams and a muzzle velocity of 304 mps as measured by a P.A.C.T MKIV timer/chronograph with MKV skyscreens set 61cm apart and the start screen 2.44m from the muzzle. A new subsonic round featuring a 5.0 gram projectile moving at the same velocity as the older subsonic round but no further details were available at press time. A tracer round designated the L191 is also available. The SS190 round weighs about half as much as a 9x19mm or 5.56x45mm round, so carrying a given amount of extra ammunition would be less burdensome for personnel already concerned with impedimenta. Conversely, special operators could carry twice as much ammunition for the same weight.

Despite the fact that the P90 Personal Defense Weapon fires a bottle-necked cartridge, which looks something like a downsized .22 Hornet, the weapon fires using an unusual method of operation that might be described as a cross between the short recoil and simple Bergmann-Bayard straight blowback principles. Upon firing, the 26.3 cm barrel and bolt recoil rearward for about 0.76 mm, enabling the pressure in the barrel to drop to a safe level. When the barrel stops its rearward travel, the bolt continues rearward in straight blowback fashion. FN Herstal SA seems to have developed a unique flavor of delayed blowback operation. Unlike the typical submachine gun, however, the P90 fires from the closed bolt to maximize semiautomatic accuracy. Recoil is brisk but very smooth, and cycling is reliable thanks in part to an anti-bounce weight in the bolt, which is operated by one of the main operating (recoil) springs. Polymers are extensively used throughout the P90 to reduce both the weight and the cost of the weapon. The human engineering of the weapon is outstanding and ambidextrous.

A variety of features enhance the ambidextrous qualities of the P90. Both sides of the weapon feature a charging handle, auxiliary fixed sights and a magazine release. The manual selector below the trigger can be operated from either side of the trigger. The stock and grips are symmetrical. And the weapon ejects downward, so lefties don't need to worry about hot brass in the face.

One of the most interesting features of the P90, which helps make the weapon so compact, is the polycarbonate 50-round magazine that locks in place between the charging handles and the optical sight. The magazine features a follower with rollers and a constant-force spring that make loading a 50-round magazine easy instead of the usual thumb-busting exercise in frustration. But the most noteworthy aspect of the magazine design is that loading one cartridge forces the rounds under it to eventually rotate 90 degrees to the right so they can slide into a double stack of cartridges in the magazine body.

This rotation occurs in stepwise fashion. The first round in the magazine sits in the magazine's feed lips at the 0 degree position (where it will be aligned with the chamber when the magazine is fitted to the weapon). Inserting a second cartridge forces the cartridge under it to rotate to 82 or 83 degrees from the bore angle. Adding another cartridge to the magazine pushes the original round to the 87 degree position. Adding a fourth cartridge forces the original Cartridge to the 90 degree position in the main body of the magazine. Thus, the cartridges go through a four-step process to become fully aligned in a double stack within the magazine.

The optical sight is made from a solid piece of glass so there's no risk of nitrogen leaking and subsequent fogging in the field. It has two complementary reticle patterns for differing lighting conditions.

A day reticle, which is projected into the sight from the front, features a circular reticle which I particularly like since it provides very rapid target acquisition throughout the effective range of the weapon. The reticle has several markings which complement each other. A very large circular reticle provides fast target acquisition at panic-close range, while a much smaller circle is optimized for target acquisition at 100 meters but works very well at closer ranges. A tiny dot inside the smallest circle can be used for maximum finesse; this dot lies 94 mm above the center of the bore.

A low-light reticle, which is illuminated by a replaceable tritium cell, is projected into the optical sight from the rear. It is normally invisible in bright daylight conditions unless the sight is shaded by the brim of a large hat. A horizontal reticle runs across the center of the field from one side to the other, and a vertical reticle runs from the bottom of the field to the small circle. These lines form three legs of a traditional crosshair reticle, which can be quite useful inside dark buildings or during low-light operations outside. In those relatively rare lighting conditions where both the day and night reticles are visible, the sight picture is still uncluttered enough to provide rapid target acquisition. This is a very well-engineered optical sight.

The manual selector is positive and quiet, but not as instinctive or fast as the selector on an MP5 submachine gun or M16-type weapon. Other safety features include a safety sear that holds the hammer until the bolt (which FN calls the breech block assembly) has fully closed behind the chamber, and an inertial safety that locks the sear if the weapon is dropped (solving a problem that caused substantial casualties during World War II). Unlike most submachine guns, the P90 is a very safe weapon to handle in the rough and tumble real world. The P90 also has a very high resistance to cook-offs following prolonged full-auto fire. Most end-users fielding this weapon carry a maximum ammunition load of 400 rounds, and the P90 demonstrated no cook-off problems when 400 rounds were dumped as rapidly as possible downrange.

A final curiosity is that the design and materials of the P90 also make the weapon very easy to clean, a process that only takes about four minutes. This appeals to military SpecOps personnel, who tend to have a special affection for weapons that require a minimum of maintenance and, therefore, don't cut into their "Miller Time."

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FABRIQUE NATIONALE P90PDW Specs

Trigger: Double Action

Rate of fire: Semi-automatic, Three round burst, Fully automatic

Clip: 50 round 5.7mm x 22mm round

Length: 50 centimeters

Width: 5.5 centimeters

Height: 21.0 centimeters

Barrel length: 26.3 centimeters

Weight fully loaded: 3.0 kilograms

Muzzle velocity: 800 meters per second

Maximum range: 250+ meters

Maximum effective range: 175+ meters