As the world’s oldest firearms manufacturer, there is little under the sun Beretta hasn't taken a crack at making. Given this, the Italian company’s newest handgun is a bit of a surprise.

One would have thought that in around half a millennia of gun making, Beretta would have produced a full-sized striker-fired pistol somewhere along the way. Alas it hasn't until now.

The company filled this hole in its catalog at the Feb. 22 IDEX (International Defense Exhibition and Conference Show) held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. At the convention, Beretta unveiled the APX, a model the company said in a press release completes its full-sized pistol portfolio.

While the length of time it has taken Beretta to produce this style of pistol might be shocking, for those following recent events in the American military, the company moving in this direction isn't.

The U.S. Army announced in the summer of 2015 it was set to replace the Beretta M9 as its service pistol; the 9mm had been the branch’s sidearm of choice since 1985, replacing the M1911A1, a pattern of pistol that had seen service in both World Wars. Then in December, the service’s Configuration Control Board denied a submission by Beretta of an updated version of the pistol – the M9A3.

Beretta stated, the APX was specifically designed to meet the needs of military and law enforcement. And announced at IDEX that the pistol would by submitted as the company’s entrant for the U.S. Army Modular Handgun System – the program to find the new military sidearm.

In-depth details about the pistol are scant, outside of caliber and capacity. The APX will be initially available in a 17+1 round 9x19mm model, and 15+1 .40 S&W and 9x21mm IMI. The handgun will feature a Picatinny rail for the addition of accessories and a trigger safety.

The initial iteration of the Beretta APX is bound for the military and law enforcement, however the company plans to release variations for the civilian market. No date was given on this release or the pistol’s pricing.