Why in the Blue F would we buy a Turkish contract MP5 when factory German ones are available for damn near the same price? Unless it’s just a way to bring an end to semi auto imports for US shooters because now they have a military contract.
From that list the only ones I’d consider are the Colt, SIG, B&T or the EVO. The Colt would make the most sense IF you weren’t going with a factory MP5 for some reason that I can’t even begin to understand. And why they aren’t looking at the Knights PDW is even more baffling.
Maybe H&K is getting serious about discontinuing the MP5 series and the Army just isn’t interested in the UMP or MP7. And in that case, Hans and Franz need to get back into the R&D stuff pronto to bring us the next generation SMG because the UMP was nice, but wasn’t quite it and the MP7 is way too special use as a general purpose SMG.
Wouldn’t it be nice if HK could marry the roller lock bolt of the MP5 with a new polymer platform available in both .45 and 9mm but in a package the size of the MP5 or better. Kind of like how they married Browning and Walther features for the ground breaking USP handgun series.
But honestly, given the limited use and need of a SMG anyway, the whole idea of searching for a new one is kinda bizarre, especially given some of the candidates. Somewhere Todd Bailey is looking at this list and his blood pressure is spiking hard.
I don’t see a reason to adopt an AR type subgun when it would lack the only attribute a subgun truly has- which is being compact. An MP5 type is way to outdated. The CZ isn’t what I would consider a serious use weapon. Maybe something new like the B&T if they are halfway serious about a modernizing the military. Eventually the whole military will be fielding HK 416 types anyway, so it would make sense to update to a more modern design in ancillary weapons now rather than later.
This list makes no sense, especially with so many contenders having the vestigial buffer tube from the AR design, negating the compactness (and thus best strength of an SMG).
“The acquisition of the SCW is essential in meeting the agency’s requirement to support Product Manager, Individual Weapons mission to assess commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) SCWs in order to fill a capability gap in lethality and concealability. The SCW are being procured for further evaluation and testing. This evaluation will help to inform current capabilities for the Capability Production Document for the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence. Currently, Personal Security Detail (PSD) military personnel utilize pistols and rifles, however, there is an operational need for additional concealability and lethality. Failure to provide the selected SCW for assessment and evaluation will leave PSD military personnel with a capability gap which can result in increased war fighter casualties and jeopardize the success of the U.S. mission.”
If they had any sense at all they’d update the UMP for 10mm and it would fit the bill perfectly. Half a security detail with those, and the other half with P90s, and that would cover almost every possible scenario an SMG would be needed for.
Why would the Army spend money on a new item that is going to be dropped, dragged through the mud, thrown into a closet, locked away, tapped up on a FOB, and never shot? There are plenty of A2s for that… what a waist.
That is very true. I have used them and there are not too many weapons that I would not take over an MP5. I actually took an underfolder AK over a MP5 once.
Forgot the 9mm part. And while the MP5 is stamped steel 1960s tech, it’s still outclassing most of the options a half century later. Perhaps this is nothing more than the Army confirming there still isn’t a better mousetrap.
All of which is great, but none of the alternatives mentioned are in 9mm. And if I’m, “stuck,” with a 9mm subgun or PCC, I can’t think of a whole lot of them I’d rather have than an MP5.
