The P99 is a semi-automatic pistol eveloped by the German company Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen of Ulm for law enforcement, security forces and the civilian shooting market as a replacement for the Walther P5 and the P88. Design work on this new generation sidearm began in 1994, and the handgun was presented in 1997 with series production commencing that same year. The weapon was first introduced chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum; subsequently, a version in .40 S&W was also developed primarily for the American market and unveiled in 1998. The pistol is used by the German Police of some federal states of Germany, the Polish Police and the Finnish Army's special forces and military police, where it carries the designation PIST 2003 (Pistooli 2003).