24-07-2025
Air Force Investigating Whether Sig Sauer Pistol Was a Factor in Airman's Death
The U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command is sidelining the M18 Modular Handgun System after the death of an Air Force Security Airman at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming, on July 20.
A press release from the 90th Missile Wing Public Affairs office on F.E. Warren provided no details of the incident. The Air Force Office of Special Investigations has the case, and no details will be released at this time to protect the integrity of the investigation, according to the press release.
The compact M18 and its full-size counterpart, the M17, are the military and law enforcement variants of the Sig Sauer P320. The Army selected Sig designs for the Modular Handgun System in 2017. All branches of the U.S. military subsequently adopted the pistols as their standard sidearms.
A statement from the Air Force Global Strike Command at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, said the M18 was pulled from service after the Wyoming incident. Air Force Security Forces for the Global Strike Command will carry the M4 rifle while all M18s in service will be inspected 'to identify any immediate safety concerns.'
A Sig Sauer spokesman told The Epoch Times the company has reached out to the Air Force and is ready to assist the investigation.
'Our hearts are with the service members and families impacted by the recent reported event at the F.E. Warren Air Force Base. We have offered assistance to the U.S. Military as they investigate the incident and remain willing to help in furtherance of their ongoing investigation,' Phil Strader, vice president for consumer affairs, wrote to The Epoch Times.
Global Strike Command spokesman Charles 'Moose' Hoffman said it was too early to release details on the Wyoming incident.
'Out of an abundance of caution and to ensure the safety and security of our personnel, the pause will remain in place pending the completion of comprehensive investigations by the Air Force,' Hoffman wrote in an email to The Epoch Times.
The pistol has been dogged for years by claims that it is prone to unintentional discharge if handled or bumped, without the trigger being pulled.
At least 80 people have been injured since 2014, and several lawsuits have been filed. In 2021, the U.S. District Court for Eastern Pennsylvania dismissed a claim by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent that his P320 discharged while in its holster, wounding him.
The court ruled that the plaintiff failed to prove the pistol was flawed after the court rejected his expert witnesses.
The plaintiff has appealed that decision.
