Modular Handgun System is a joint program, with all four services set to eventually field the M17/M18. Air Force pilots carry a sidearm while flying as part of their survival gear. Consequently, the Air Force Operational Test And Evaluation Command has decided to submit MHS to egress testing in order to see if it is compatible with equipment worn by pilots while ejecting from their aircraft and if it will still function after being subjected to those forces. This is the first time they’ve conducted such a test.
Above, MSgt Samuel Pruett, Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center force protection program manager, based at Eglin AFB, Florida, secures an MHS on a test dummy prior to a test on the vertical deceleration tower inside the 711th Human Performance Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, December 6th, 2017.
The vertical deceleration tower replicates ejection forces. As you can see, they tested two pistols at once, one with the 17 round magazine and the other with the 21 round magazine.
Here, MSgt Pruett checks an empty shell casing from a weapon for signs of the firing pin striking the primer at the conclusion of a test to ensure the weapon didn’t fire as a result of ejection forces.
Air Force photos by Wesley Farnsworth, 88th Air Base Wing/Public Affairs.
So, why would this not have been done in the initial selection criteria of the weapon?
Because it’s the Army’s Pistol. Air Force didn’t procure it. So now you’re seeing them piggy back off the work Army already did.
The Army doesn’t perform high speed ejections.
Speak for yourself.
LMAO
It’s a J nor an R.
Looks like Senior Master Sergeant stripes to me….
Uh, no. SSD is correct. It’s Msgt.
Marcus is correct, MSgt has one rooftop and SMSgt has two rooftops.
Maybe during flight operations involving ejection seats they could carry the pistol with an empty chamber, all other flight operations, they could carry the pistol with a round chambered. Either way, I find this testing interesting.
I find it interesting that from the story it seems that this is the first time the USAF tests pistols performance during pilots’ ejection.
I hadn’t heard of any tests that were done while I was in the AFE realm so that wouldn’t surprise me one bit. The current survival ensemble worn by ejection seat pilots is hot garbage anyways and I would be more concerned with the pistol laden pouch ripping off the vest than the weapon discharging.
Agreed