The Beretta M12 (Model 12) is a 9×19mm Parabellum caliber submachine gun designed by Beretta. Production started in 1959, the first users were the Italian Carabinieri, Italian State Police and the Guardia di Finanza, though in limited number, it was only widely issued beginning in 1978, replacing the old Beretta MAB. In 1962 the Italian Army bought a limited number of Franchi LF-57 submachine guns, judged better than the M12 but never issued to the troops, and only in 1992 the M12S2 variant was introduced, in very limited number. The Italian Air Force, instead bought many M12S and M12S2 for the airport security units. However the weapon had a higher initial success in the Arab countries and South America.
The weapon was first seen during the Tet Offensive in 1968 when the US Marines guarding the U.S. embassy in Saigon repelled the assault by the Viet Cong using the Beretta M12. It is also used by various South American, African and Asian countries,[4] and made under licence in Brazil by Taurus, in Belgium by FN Herstal and in Indonesia by PT Pindad.