Here on TFB, we followed closely the development of the Russian semi-auto pistol Udav, produced by the TsNII TochMash and on the road to replace the Makarov as Russian military sidearm. We also had an insight on the civilian version of the model, the Aspid. According to a press release from Rostec, a new version of the Udav, called Poloz, is now designed specifically to be the next sidearm of the Russian police.

TsNII TochMash Reveals New Sidearm for the Russian Police – The Poloz

TsNII TochMash Reveals New Sidearm for the Russian Police – The Poloz (Image credit: Rostec.ru)

The Poloz, to be officially released at the international military forum Army-2020 in August 2020, at a glance appears to be a more compact version of the Udav. From the military sibling, it retains the general shape and the slide mounted manual safety. Unlike the Udav, however, the Poloz is not chambered in the proprietary 9×21 mm: like the Aspid, it shoots the much more common 9×19 mm.

Visual differences are more obvious on the polymer frame. Here the grip has a surface texture more similar to what we find on most modern western pistols, provided that the pictured prototype reflects the production model. The accessory rail looks also more capable of accepting a wider variety of weapon lights or lasers, compared to the one on the Udav, assuming it is not a proprietary pattern.

The main feature of the frame is said to be its modularity. There are no obvious lines of separation within parts of the grip, therefore the following quote by Albert Bakov, General Director of TsNIITochMash:

The modular design allows replacement of the handle without replacing the main parts and the use of magazines of various capacities. It is convenient, reliable and unpretentious in use, which is extremely important for the operational services staff.

could potentially refer to a chassis system as seen on the U.S. Army’s M17. We’ll probably know more details in a few days when Army-2020 starts.

In the meantime, we can watch this brief video from Rostec.

On a side note: the name “Poloz” means Coluber snake, keeping the family feeling with Udav (boa) and Aspid (viper). Not the first time that snake names came to christen firearms.

Photos, quote and video from Rostec.ru