SIG Sauer just announced the release of its latest military achievement, keeping the recent theme going and continuing dominating military sales. Under a new banner, the SIG Special Weapons Group made changes to the U.S. M18 pistol, meeting the needs of the Australian Defense Forces. The new Aussie gun, dubbed the SIG P320978, makes its debut.

SIG P320978 Pistol: Australia’s M18 Duty Sidearm

Inside the walls of SIG Sauer, a team of individuals dedicates its time to the pursuit of innovation. Their job is to create products that address the needs of elite military units worldwide, to advance capabilities and meet the demands of a constantly changing environment. This is the result of those pursuits.

In October of 2022, the Australian Defense Forces selected the SIG SAUER P320 as their new sidearm as part of a program to modernize the ADF’s small arms. The program, known as The Lethality System Project (LAND 159) will equip the ADF with next-generation weapon systems, surveillance and target acquisition equipment, ammunition, and support systems to ensure ADF ground combatants maintain a capability advantage over potential adversaries to 2030 and beyond.

Australian version of the U.S. M18 pistol.

For the Australian Defense Forces, the SIG Special Weapons Group utilized a P320 variant similar to the U.S. Military’s M18. The slide, PVD coated in a Coyote Tan matches the Coyote Tan Xcarry grip module. The grip provides an extended beavertail and deeper undercuts for increased control, according to SIG. It adds a fully-enclosed custom ROMEO2 red dot optic, improving target acquisition capabilities and increasing accuracy. Finally, the pistol comes with a custom Foxtrot2 weapon light for low-light conditions. Each pistol ships with (2) 21 round magazines and (1) 17 round magazine, along with a certificate of authenticity.

The Australian Defense Forces edition of the P320 has been designated SIGP320978 and represents the first offering in the SIG Special Weapons Group Program. As with all SIG Special Weapons Group products, this is a limited edition, available for a limited time only online and at the SIG Flagship Store at the SIG Experience Center.