Case Study

A Custom Solution to Help the UK Ministry of Defence Swiftly Transition to New Handguns

Specialised expertise ensures durable, compliant tracking and efficient deployment of 32,000 Glock-17 pistols

Project Overview:  When the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) transitioned from the Browning 9mm pistols to the Glock G17 9mm pistols as the standard handgun for British forces, it faced logistical and tracking challenges. Camcode Global provided a solution by engineering a bespoke marking system that adhered to the UK’s Item Unique Identification (IUID) policy. This solution enabled the efficient tracking, management, and deployment of the Glock G17 pistols across the MoD, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements while streamlining asset visibility and control.

Challenges

In the effort to integrate accurate NIMCIS battery data into its ERP system, the NL MoD faced multi-faceted project challenges, including:

Varying Manufacturer Part Numbers
Inconsistencies among MPNs from 19 different manufacturers made it difficult to ensure that data was accurate and reliable
Logistical Dynamics
Understanding of logistical dynamics, including of transaction codes and their meanings, was lacking, which hindered efficient resource allo cation
Security and Compliance Concerns
The sensitive nature of the data required certain guardrails

Camcode Global’s Role

Camcode Global utilised its expertise in handling complex assets and data integration to create a tailored marking solution for the UK MoD’s Glock-17 pistols. The process began with laser-engraving a recess on the pistol’s trigger guard, overcoming the challenges posed by the composite material. A pre-encoded photosensitive aluminum IUID label was then encapsulated with a clear epoxy on the trigger guard’s underside, ensuring protection against impact, abrasion, and environmental conditions.

To optimise the marking process, Camcode Global developed a custom aluminum jig, enabling the simultaneous laser etching of up to 10 pistols. The applied clear epoxy was UV-cured within seconds to speed up the process.
After marking, each pistol was scanned, registered in the UK MoD’s system, and repackaged for deployment.

Transportation boxes were also marked with IUID labels, enabling the MoD to track pistols during shipping by simply scanning the external box labels. This comprehensive approach ensured seamless tracking, compliance, and efficient deployment of the Glock G17 pistols

Key Benefits

  • Durability: Custom marking techniques to protect against impact, abrasion, and other environmental factors. 
  • Compliance: Better data quality and understanding of logistical dynamics.
  • Efficient Tracking and Deployment: Marked pistols shipped in marked boxes for location monitoring.
  • Operational Efficiency and Field Readiness: Durability and compliance achieved with a swiftly implemented, custom solution to support readiness and efficiency in the field. 
This ingenious, tailored solution ensured that all 32,000 Glocks were swiftly deployed into the field without complication.