Overview
- The Interior Ministry awarded a €2,419,651.52 contract for 6,080 Springfield Armory Echelon pistols, with a declared unit cost of about €328.90 via supplier Lejarazu Sport.
- The Echelon met tender requirements but ranked lowest in specialist evaluations, while the HK SFP9-OR scored highest on reliability, ergonomics, precision and safety; Glock was also assessed.
- Jupol, the majority police union, condemns the choice as prioritizing price over operational needs and says it will closely watch field results and seek technical reviews if problems arise.
- The selected pistol features a 17‑round magazine and a 114 mm barrel and is larger than the current HK USP Compact, with police sources warning it may be harder to handle for smaller hands.
- The model is relatively new to market, reported as used by Bulgaria’s army, and deliveries for Spain are planned for next year with calls to align academy training in Ávila to the final sidearm.