I know folks who work/worked for Glock, Beretta, and HK. Some of them have worked for more than one of them. Funny to compare what they said about A when they worked for B now that they work for A...
The Buy America Act has loopholes big enough to fly Airbuses through.
About 70% of US military small arms are made by FN. FN USA is considered an "Ameican" company, as are Beretta USA, HK USA, SIGARMS (now SIG SAUER), Glock USA, etc. That's how they get those govt contracts w the DOD, DOJ (FBI, DEA, BATF, USMS) and DHS (ICE, CBP, USSS, USCG, TSA, FAM, FPS).
The first year of the M9 contract the pistols were made and assembled in Italy. The second year, made in Italy and assembled here. The rest were made and assembled in the USA. Have been numerous follow on contracts since to bring the total to about 500,000 pistols.
"Before the M9 was adopted, some units were issued Ruger P85's. and had some problems with slamfires as I recall. They were quickly ruled out. But something in the Ruger P-series might work."
The final M9 trials (there were several) were in 1984, and the M9 contract was announced in Jan 1985. The Ruger P85 did not appear until 1987. Some Rugers were entered in one of the M10 trials (there were several of those too BTW), but they failed. Beretta won the M10 trials too.
Beretta and SIG were the only two to pass the compact M11 trials, SIG got that contract. Some thought that was a back door way to replace the Berettas w SIGs, but that never happened. Total SIG 226/228s bought is about 10% or less of the Berettas bought so far.
Beretta 40s beat the Glock, SIG, HK, S&W, and Ruger 40s in the 1994 and 1999 INS/BP contracts.
In 2004 the DHS thoroughly tested (about 3 million rounds through about 300 pistols) the usual suspects (HK, SIG, Glock, S&W, Beretta, and SA) in 9/40/357. They wanted a "family" of pistols w options in size and caliber.
The SIGs and HKs were the only guns to pass all the tests in all models and calibers, so they were the only companies to get contracts. Beretta withdrew early, the S&Ws, Glocks, and SA XDs (w/o grip safeties BTW) failed some tests in some models and calibers.
SIG and HK got contracts for up to 65,000 pistols over 5 yrs for about $27 million, about $400 per pistol (w night sights and spare mags/parts). That's pretty comparable to Beretta's $200 per pistol in the much bigger 1985 M9 contract (320,000 pistols) adjusted for inflation and adding the night sights.
In just the last 4 yrs the US military has contracted for a lot of 9 minimeter handguns: 5K Rugers, 5K sig pros, over 70K Sigmas, over 100K each from Glock and Beretta. Most did NOT go to US forces. They also contracted for up to 14 _million_ new M9 mags from Airtronic. Hmmm...
While all that was going on the SOF-CP (Special Operations Forces Combat Pistol), FHS (Future Handgun System), JCP (Joint Combat Pistol), CP (Combat Pistol), AFH (Air Force Handgun), AFFH (Air Force Future Handgun) came and went, were indefinitely postponed, and/or soldier on in other forms.
In 2007 Congress directed the services get together on another joint program in one form or another. The latest shot at that is the USAF's Modular Handgun System. So far they want a full/compact pistol w 8/10 shots w adjustable grip, rail, and manual safety. More details will surface as they step their way through this latest fandango. Good luck w that.
IMO they pay way too much attention to Tier One folks. What's good for them is not necessarily best for everybody else. We gave 'em exactly what they asked for about 10 yrs ago (HK MK23 MOD O in 45 ACP) and they have been whining about it ever since... Give e'm the custom 1911s in 45 ACP they really want. Some wanna give 'em M9s/M11s and tell 'em to shut up and soldier on.
The rest of the military will do just fine w what has been tested to death already and works for the DOJ/DHS: Glocks, SIGs, and HKs in 40/357. Don't know if the S&W M&P, FNP, new SA XDM, etc can run w them; haven't been tested as much yet. Time will tell.