This post is also available in:
עברית (Hebrew)
A full sidearm kit complete with the US Army’s newest M17 handgun will replace the decades-old Beretta M9 pistol, and be supplied to soldiers in April. The weapon comes with a new “pistol enhancer” and holster built to fit the device. The pistol enhancer gives shooters white light, Infrared laser and IR illuminator at the flick of a switch.
Laser Max Defense will provide more than 20,000 pistol enhancers for its M17/M18 sidearm. The 9mm handgun, built off a modified version of the Sig Sauer P320, began fielding to Army units in late 2017. It will be the standard issue sidearm for all the services moving forward.
The pistol enhancer is the smallest, lightest and most efficient White light/IR Illuminator/IR laser on the market, according to the company website, and was designed to fit the US Military’s need for a rugged pistol enhancer capable of completing any mission assigned.
The pistol enhancer slides on the short rail system at the front of the gun and rests flush with the barrel and sides, keeping bulkiness to a minimum, according to armytimes.com.
The device weighs 1.9 ounces without the battery and 2.6 ounces with the battery. The design also allows for operators to change batteries while the device is still on the pistol so they won’t have to re-zero the weapon.
The commercially available 123-volt battery gives the user two hours of continuous operation on the white light mode and up to six hours operation with the IR settings. The pistol enhancer’s mode switch and activation buttons are designed to be able to activate while wearing combat gloves.
