The German Army’s duty sidearm has been the P8, made by Heckler & Koch. It’s basically a version of HK’s hammer-fired USP. The Germans, however, have been looking to replace the P8 with an updated design. They’d narrowed the field under consideration to guns from GLOCK, Arex and CZ. Today, CZ announced that they’ve won the competition.
The pistol the Germans have chosen is a version of CZ’s P-10C striker-fired 9mm pistol. Reports indicate that under the Budeswehr will take delivery of between 62,00 and 186,000 pistols during the life of the contract. Here’s CZ’s announcement of the win.
Ceska zbrojovka a.s. (CZ) has achieved one of the most significant milestones in its history. The German Army (Bundeswehr) has selected a CZ pistol as its new standard sidearm.
“We are honored that the German Bundeswehr has chosen CZ as its partner. Our success in this rearmament tender is one of the most significant achievements in CZ’s modern history. It clearly confirms the outstanding reputation our firearms have earned through active deployment in real combat conditions. We look forward to a long-term cooperation with the Bundeswehr and to fulfilling all its requirements in line with the contract,” said Jan Zajic, CEO and Chairman of the Board of CZ.
CZ was awarded this contract following an open international tender, prevailing over several global competitors. The pistols designated as P13 for the Bundeswehr are based on the CZ P-10 C OR (Optics-Ready) model, featuring a Flat Dark Earth (FDE) finish. It is a modern striker-fired service pistol designed for professional use, renowned for its reliability, durability, and intuitive handling. It features excellent ergonomics, high magazine capacity, and precise construction, making it a preferred choice among military and law enforcement customers in many countries.
CZ will work closely with its authorized partner in Germany, POL-TEC GmbH & Co., to fulfil the contract and provide comprehensive support to the Bundeswehr.