France orders last tranche of Glock 17 pistols

France's DGA ordered the last tranche of 9,600 Glock 17 Gen 5 FR semi-automatic pistols on 26 April. (DGA)

The Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA), the French defence procurement agency, has ordered 9,600 more Glock 17 pistols, French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean told a press conference on 12 May. The order was placed on 26 April and is the last tranche of Glock 17 Gen 5 FR 9 mm semi-automatic pistols foreseen by France's Loi de Programmation Militaire 2019–25 military funding programme as part of efforts to modernise the French military's personal equipment.

At the end of 2019, the DGA ordered the self-loading pistol from Glock, ammunition from Sellier & Bellot, and training conversion kits from UTM. The pistol features a coyote frame with a black slide and front serrations, luminescent U-shaped sights, and extended slide lock, according to Glock. Some will be issued with night sights, laser/light modules, threaded barrels, and sound suppressors, most likely for army commando units.

The Glock 17 Gen 5 FR is gradually replacing the MAC Model 1950 pistol dating from the 1950s, and the PAMAS G1 that partially replaced it in the 1990s. It is used by the French Armed Forces for self-protection, with 80% of the pistols ordered to go to the French Army, 10% to the French Air and Space Force, 8% to the French Navy, and 2% to others.

The DGA reported that 60,000 Glock 17 Gen 5 FR pistols have been delivered so far. The 9,600 of the final tranche is to be delivered during the second half of 2022, plus 5,000 already being delivered this year, which will bring the total to 74,600, according to the DGA.