Some in the US Army wanted to replace the 45 w the 9 minimeter right after WWII, long before NATO, but it was hard to justify w so many 45s around.
So they started building their case. Test done in the late 40s showed the 9 minimeter would penetrate the GI helmet at ranges 4 time farther than the 45 would (30 yds v 130 yds). You could ship more ammo in the same space w less weight...
By 1985 we still had about 400,000 45s in service, but we signed a contract w Beretta for 320,000 M9s anyway.
So the folks who wanted the 45 went to work...
Now we are going back to the 45:
The Joint Combat Pistol (JCP) System is the result of the merging of the Army's Future Handgun System (FHS) project and the SOF's Combat Pistol (CP) project. They decided to get one gun in two models for everybody. Up to 645,000 over 10 yrs.
Info at:
ODA
U.S. Special Operations Command
Headquarters Procurement Division
10 -- Joint Combat Pistol (JCP) System
Responses to Industry Questions of "Draft" RFP 01, Responses to Industry
Questions of 01
http://www.fbo.gov/spg/ODA/USSOCOM/S...7/listing.html
45 ACP
DA/SA, DAO, or SFA (striker fired action)
W safety (600,000) and W/O safety (45,000)
Std capacity/at least 8 rds and and high capacity/at least 10 rounds magazines (think compact and full size)
MIL-STD-1913 accessory rail
2,000 MRBS/5,000 MRBF
20,000 round service life
Mean radius of 10 shot group at 50m no more than 3.15 inches
Suppressor attachment kit
Should fit hands from 5th - 95th percentile; modular grip adjustment is
desired, not required
Coming soon:
Final RFP Release: Projected in January 2006
Proposal Response Deadline: Projected in March 2006
Expected Contract Award Date: Projected in 4Q FY06 (Jul - Sep 06).