Air Force Bomber Command Reinstates Sig Sauer Pistol

Members of one of many Air Power’s largest sections are again to carrying the M18 handgun.

On Monday, the Air Power International Strike Command (AFGSC) introduced that it’s returning the pistols to service after finishing an inner assessment. The command recognized points with 191 of its 7,970 M18s, or about 2.4 p.c of the weapons. The assessment, sparked by a deadly incident at F.E. Warren Air Power Base in Wyoming on the finish of July, concluded the pistol is secure for redeployment.

“It’s paramount that our Airmen belief their weapon programs,” Normal Thomas Bussiere, AFGSC commander, stated in an announcement. “This thorough inspection ensures the M18s in our stock are in optimum working order, offering our Defenders with secure, dependable, and efficient programs to perform their mission.”

The pistol’s reinstatement is welcome information for one of many nation’s largest gun makers. When information broke of the deadly capturing and subsequent pause on the usage of the Sig Sauer M18, it reignited public skepticism of the pistol’s security. Then the Air Power arrested an airman concerned within the incident over accusations of mendacity to officers and involuntary manslaughter earlier than clearing the gun for a return to service.

Nevertheless, the developments following the Air Power incident are unlikely to settle all questions surrounding the protection of the M18 and its civilian counterpart, the P320, given the quite a few different accusations of uncommanded photographs which have preceded it. Not less than three juries have sided with plaintiffs who’ve claimed the dearth of a set off security tab and different design decisions are answerable for unintended photographs that injured them. Across the similar time because the Air Power incident, a jury decided Sig Sauer is chargeable for an officer’s dying in Massachusetts after concluding the P320’s design led to the uncommanded discharge that killed the officer.

Sig Sauer has vehemently denied allegations that the M18 or P320 can hearth with out the set off being pulled.

“The P320 CANNOT, underneath any circumstances, discharge with out the set off first being moved to the rear,” the corporate stated in an announcement posted to its web site final month. “This has been verified by way of exhaustive testing by SIG SAUER engineers, the U.S. Navy, a number of main federal and state legislation enforcement businesses, and unbiased laboratories.”

The corporate has additionally gone on the offensive. Earlier this month, Sig filed go well with towards a police coaching fee in Washington state after it banned the usage of P320s. A Washington Decide denied Sig’s preliminary movement for a keep to reverse the ban on the idea that the corporate was unlikely to ascertain standing or win on the deserves.

The AFGSC is answerable for America’s nuclear deterrence and international bombing operations. It initially paused use of the M18 throughout the bases it runs and initiated the assessment after the July incident.

“Air Power International Strike Command has paused use of the M18 Modular Handgun System, efficient July 21, 2025, till additional discover,” a International Strike spokesperson informed The Reload final month.

The pistol is utilized by the whole command, alongside most different branches of the navy–all of which continued deploying the gun in the course of the AFGSC investigation. Nevertheless, different businesses, police departments, and personal coaching firms have stopped permitting use of the gun in latest months. There’s additionally uncertainty about its use by different businesses.

A number of retailers reported Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) forbade brokers from carrying the P320 regardless of having a contract with Sig. However Sig disputed these experiences and introduced ICE had prolonged its P320 contract shortly after they have been first revealed. ICE hasn’t cleared up the confusion and hasn’t responded to a number of requests for remark from The Reload.

AFGSC was extra forthcoming with its findings.

“The intent of this command-wide inspection was two-fold: first, to verify that each one weapons in service are in correct working order; and second, to investigate the info concerning any reported discrepancies and utilization charges,” the command stated in an announcement. “A assessment of weapon discharges in AFGSC confirmed that none have been attributed to weapons malfunction.”

It reported that the issues discovered within the 191 M18s it recognized as regarding have been on account of put on and tear on the weapons. It stated these weapons could be repaired.

“The first discrepancy was associated to part put on,” AFGSC stated. “Probably the most frequent points centered on issues with the protection lever, striker meeting and sear. Weapons exhibiting these discrepancies have been instantly tagged and are present process crucial repairs.”

The command stated it additionally deliberate to have members of the Safety Forces squadron management meet with airmen to debate the findings of the inspection. It additionally plans to implement “enhanced inspection procedures” in addition to emphasize security measures, equivalent to guaranteeing a gun’s muzzle is at all times pointed in a secure route, and reporting weapons that could be having mechanical points.

“By incorporating these added measures, we assess that any points discovered with the protection lever, striker meeting and sear will likely be recognized throughout semi-annual and annual inspections,” Lt. Col. George Hern, AFGSC chief of safety forces, stated. “As we execute M18 inspections sooner or later, we will likely be taking a selected curiosity in these elements to make sure these strategies deal with the problems we discovered and make changes as wanted.”

AFGSC stated the pause in M18 use and subsequent investigation are examples of its dedication to the protection of airmen.

“After we see a possible difficulty, we now have a duty to our Airmen and the American public to judge, discover any discrepancies, and act on them,” Bussiere stated.