The Turkish Government has awarded the Turkish companies Sarsılmaz and Canik two contracts resulting from the “Original Indigenous Gun Project” trials. Sarsılmaz received a 110,000 handgun order of the company’s 9x19mm SAR-9, while Canik received a 45,000 handgun order of their 9x19mm TP9SF ELITE S model. The Sarsılmaz handguns will be divided up between the Turkish Coast Guard, Naval Forces, Land Forces, and National Police. The 45,000 Canik TP9SF Elite S handguns will be solely for the Turkish National Police Forces. In the Armed Forces, these handguns will be replacing aging CZ, Beretta copies that have been locally manufactured in Turkey. As for the National Police, these Caniks will be replacing the Yavuz 16 (a Beretta copy) and the Sarsılmaz Kılınç 2000, in addition to perhaps older Canik models as well.

The commercially available SAR-9. It appears to use a Walter P99 slide retention catch.

Canik’s TP9SF ELITE S, notice the manual safety integral to the trigger guard.

From the C4 Defense article-

Turkish arms manufacturer Sarsılmaz has been awarded a 110 thousand-weapon contract for its handgun developed under “Original Indigenous Gun Project’. According to the statement made by the company on its official Instagram page, the company successfully completed the test-firings cunducted under national handgun project.

Turkish Undersecreteriat for Defence Industries (SSM) will be the one to decide the name of the weapon.

The new handguns will be delivered to Turkish Land and Air Forces as well as Coast Guard Command and Turkish National Police (EGM), one-sixth of the 110 thousand-gun order is assigned for law enforcement forces.

Just in time for the 2018 SHOT Show, things are really looking good for Sarsılmaz this year due to this particular contract in addition to the company starting production on 10,000 MPT76s for the Turkish Military.

An interesting note about the Turkish Land Forces is that unlike many modern militaries, handgun procurement can sometimes be at the unit or even officer level to fund purchases of their own sidearms. This is a holdover from times past when many commissioned officers could purchase their own sidearms for use in their duties.

“Sarsılmaz Ranked First in the Handgun Race.” Sarsılmaz Ranked First in the Handgun Race, 17 Jan. 2018, en.c4defence.com/Agenda/sarsilmaz-ranked-first-in-the-handgun-race/5539/1.