It looks like Germany’s Bundeswehr (armed forces) will be packing some new heat with the adoption of the CZ-made P13 pistol as the nation’s new service sidearm. Rumors flared up back in July that CZ’s P-10 was a leading contender, and CZ confirmed today that its pistol platform won the day.

Calling it “one of the most significant milestones in its history” in its message to Guns.com, Ceska zbrojovka a.s. (i.e., CZ) won its contract after prevailing in an open international tender for a new gun. It beat the Arex Delta and Glock G17 Gen5 in the final round for what could be an order of as many as 180,000 units.

The new pistol will be designated the P13 for the German military, but it is based largely on the CZ P-10 C OR. The optics-ready pistol replaces the polymer-framed, hammer-fired 9mm P8A1, which is essentially an HK USP.
 

“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.

In another shift from previous German service handguns, the new striker-fired P13 will arrive wearing an FDE finish instead of the traditional black. CZ will work directly with its authorized German partner, POL-TEC GmbH & Co., to fulfill the order and provide the Bundeswehr with support for the new platform.