With the U.S. Army now issuing the new M17 service pistol to its soldiers, it also announced a requirement last Fall of the need for a Pistol Aiming Light (PAiL) which will replace the for the AN/PEQ-14 and will be used with the M17 which is based on the SIG Sauer P320 Pistol.
One requirement for this PAiL is that it should be selected among COTS (Commercial Off The Shelf) products and have evaluated two products. Right before the SHOT Show 2019, the Army announced that it has awarded LaserMax Defense the contract to provided its Pistol Enhancer, beating the Streamlight TLR series.
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LaserMax Defense says that the Pistol Enhancer is the smallest, lightest and most efficient white light/IR Illuminator/IR laser on the market. The c ompany designed this new product to fit the US Military’s requirements for a rugged pistol enhancer capable. The Pistol Enhancer unit features ambidextrous activation either in momentary or continuous mode, and it has three-position rotary switch to select white light, IR illuminator and IR laser, or full off. Battery changes can be easily done without removing the unit from the weapon, avoiding the need to re-zero windage and elevation.
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Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
With the Pistol Enhancer part of the M17 kit which will also include a holster to accommodate it and the pistol. It will also be used with the more compact M18 pistol.
The U.S. Army will be buying US$580 million worth of M17 and M18 pistols which is seen to be at least 230,000 pistols. But not all will be receiving the pistol kit that includes the Pistol Enhancer and the corresponding holster. LaserMax Defense will be providing 20,000 units for the U.S. Army.
Other branches of the U.S. Armed Forces such as the Air Force and Coast Guard are also fielding the M17 Pistol, and they may be interested in the Pistol Enhancer as well. The U.S. Marines are also acquiring the M17/M18 pistol but have not indicated if they will require a laser/light module.
