PDWs...and other small arms.

[ahillock]

We don't need pistols for most of the duty positions that carry pistols, because pistols are about worthless for pretty much everyone in the military except investigators and a few units in the SOF community, and the modern handgun/sidearm needs to be brought into the 21st Century as well, not stuck in the rut of the 20th Century.

"The fastest reload is the transition to secondary weapon system."

You run into a malfunction or complete stoppage, it is nice to have a secondary weapon system like a carry pistol to rely upon until you can hunker down behind cover and figure out what is happening with your rifle.