Looking at the above contract, Croatia is buying some Beretta 92’s through FMS. The document calls it a “non-standard” 92FS. Any idea what this means? (And why would Croatia want Beretta 92’s? Didn’t they invent the Springfield XD?).
I suspect that “non-standard” might apply to the uniqueness of the order, or that it’s for what appears to be commercial 92FS Berettas (as opposed to “standard” M9/M10 milspec Berettas).
The order’s only for 32 pistols, which strikes me that the Croatian Army may be using them for evaluation, comparison or for a very small unit use.
While many consider the Beretta 92/M9 to be somewhat passe, in fact these are extremely reliable guns (particularly with proper magazines and with adherence to lubrication and scheduled spring replacement protocols {and arguably with the replacement of the trigger return spring with a Wolff Trigger Conversion Unit as was done with the INS’ issue 96D Brigadiers}). Given the high cost of its HK competitors (about double the contract price as shown on the Croatian order) and some of the current travails that the Gen4 Glocks are working through, there might well be something to be said for consideration of the 92-series pistols.