The Army has awarded contracts to ten companies to submit submachine guns for the service to evaluate. The service has not purchased a new submachine gun for more than seventy years, and is reportedly considering them for units tasked with protecting senior Army leaders.



The U.S. Army has awarded approximately $200,000 to ten companies for evaluation weapons under the Sub Compact Weapon (SCW) program. The service posted a Request for Information (RFI) in May 2018 for a SCW that will fire 9x19-millimeter (9mm Luger) ammunition, fire full automatic, and have a Picatinny rail for attaching lights and optics. The RFI also mentions the capability to mount a suppressor.

Colt

The ten companies awarded contracts are from the U.S. and Europe. Famous U.S. gunmaker Colt is the first on the list, with what is described as the Colt Modular 9mm Sub Compact Weapon. This is probably the Colt 9mm Submachine Gun. Other companies include the Central Missouri Machine Gun Company with their CMMG Ultra PDW, the Lewis Machine & Tool MARS L-9 Compact Suppressed Weapon, the Quarter Circle 10 LLC 5.5 CLT and 5.5 QV5 Sub Compact Weapon, the PTR Industries TR 9CS Sub Compact Weapon, and the Zenith Firearms Z-5RS, Z-5P and Z-5K Sub Compact Weapons.

Zenith Z-5RS Zenith

European companies are also represented and include Sig Sauer and its MPX Sub Compact Weapon, the Beretta PMX Sub Compact Weapon, the CZ Scorpion EVO 3 A1 submachine gun, and B&T’s MP9 Machine Gun.

Some of the weapons, such as the Colt, CMMG, LMT, and Quarter Circle offerings are likely based on so-called short barrel AR15 “pistols” using the AR15/M16/M4 operating system. Their similarity to the M4 carbine in function could give them a leg up on the competition. Other guns are based on the famous Heckler and Koch MP-5 submachine gun, while still others such as the Sig Sauer MPX, CZ Scorpion, and MP9 are unique designs.

CZ Scorpion EVO 3 A1 submachine gun. CZ-USA

The U.S. Army has not fielded a new submachine gun since World War II. According to The Firearm Blog, one of the duties of the SCW would be to equip Army Personal Security Details, detachments of armed troops that protect senior army leaders and the headquarters of Army Brigade Combat Teams.

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