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US Army’s first new grenade since the Vietnam War uses shock waves to kill
The palm-sized weapon uses blast overpressure to clear rooms while reducing risk to friendly forces and bystanders, the Army said.
- Last month, the Army introduced the M111, its first new lethal hand grenade since the Vietnam War. The plastic weapon uses shock waves instead of shrapnel to clear indoor areas, reducing collateral damage risks during urban combat.
- Development of the palm-sized, cylindrical munition followed experience in previous Middle East wars, Vince Morris of Picatinny Arsenal said. Urban fighting in Iraq revealed the M67 fragmentation grenade posed excessive fratricide risks in door-to-door combat.
- Utilizing blast overpressure , the M111 disables enemies by vaporizing the plastic shell. This force penetrates enclosed spaces, ensuring enemies cannot hide behind furniture or interior walls during room clearing.
- Troops will continue carrying the M67 for open terrain to "maximize lethal fragment effects," the statement said. Meanwhile, the Marine Corps is acquiring the M21, a similar BOP grenade from Norwegian manufacturer Nammo, according to contracting data.
- The M111 replaces capabilities lost when the Army withdrew the MK3A2 in the 1970s due to asbestos concerns. This marks the first new grenade introduced for forces since 1968, when the MK3A2 entered combat.
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By Brad Lendon Last month, the U.S. Army unveiled its first lethal hand grenade since the Vietnam War, a plastic weapon that uses blast waves instead of shrapnel to kill enemies. The new grenade, designated the M111, is becoming the Army's preferred choice for urban combat, when troops must clear indoor areas to seize and hold territory, due to the lower risk of collateral damage. It is the first new grenade introduced to U.S. forces since 1968,…
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Total News Sources30
Leaning Left2Leaning Right2Center25Last UpdatedBias Distribution86% Center
Bias Distribution
- 86% of the sources are Center
86% Center
C 86%
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