US Army clears first new offensive hand grenade design in 57 years

The U.S. Army has officially introduced the M111 Offensive Hand Grenade, the first new lethal hand grenade design approved in nearly 60 years, marking a significant advancement in military weaponry tailored for modern combat. Unlike the longstanding M67 fragmentation grenade, which dates back to the Vietnam War era and is optimized for open battlefields, the M111 is designed specifically for urban warfare. It utilizes blast overpressure (BOP) rather than fragmentation, reducing the risk of fratricide in confined spaces such as buildings, where lethal fragments from traditional grenades could penetrate walls and endanger friendly forces. The M111 features a plastic body that is fully consumed upon detonation, making it safer for both training and combat compared to older models like the asbestos-containing Mk3A2. Developed collaboratively by the Capabilities Program Executive Ammunition and Energetics and the DEVCOM Armaments Center, the M111 offers soldiers a specialized option for restricted terrain without replacing the M67. Soldiers can now