WASHINGTON — March 10, 2026 : The United States Army has approved the M111 Offensive Hand Grenade for Full Material Release, formally clearing the munition for operational use across the force. The approval marks the first time since 1968 that a new lethal hand grenade has been authorized for deployment by the U.S. military.
The new grenade is intended to replace the Mk3A2 offensive grenade series, which had been gradually restricted and phased out because its casing contained asbestos, a material now recognized as a significant health hazard. The M111 was developed through a collaboration between the Program Executive Office (PEO) Ammunition and Energetics and the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey.
Unlike the Mk3A2, which used an asbestos-based body, the M111 features a modern plastic casing that is completely consumed during detonation. The new design eliminates hazardous materials while maintaining a comparable performance envelope and improving suitability for modern combat environments.
Design Focused on Blast Overpressure
The M111 differs from many traditional hand grenades in its method of delivering lethal effects. Instead of relying primarily on fragmentation, the weapon uses blast overpressure (BOP) to neutralize targets.
Fragmentation grenades, such as the widely used M67, disperse metal fragments at high velocity after detonation. These fragments can travel considerable distances and are effective in open terrain. However, the fragments can ricochet unpredictably in confined areas such as rooms, narrow corridors, and dense urban terrain.
The M111 addresses this limitation by producing a powerful localized shockwave rather than projecting lethal shrapnel. The blast overpressure can incapacitate or eliminate enemy personnel within enclosed spaces while reducing the risk of fragments penetrating walls or traveling through doorways into adjacent areas.
This characteristic makes the grenade particularly suited for close-quarters combat, including operations inside buildings or other restricted environments.
Lessons from Urban Combat
According to U.S. Army officials, operational experiences from recent conflicts influenced the development of the M111.
Col. Vince Morris, Project Manager for Close Combat Systems at PEO Ammunition and Energetics, said lessons from urban combat operations in Iraq highlighted situations where the standard M67 grenade was not the ideal weapon.
“One of the key lessons learned from the door-to-door urban fighting in Iraq was the M67 grenade wasn’t always the right tool for the job,” Morris said. “The risk of fratricide on the other side of the wall was too high.”
Blast overpressure grenades provide a different tactical option in those conditions. Morris explained that a grenade utilizing BOP can clear a confined space of enemy combatants while limiting the risks associated with high-velocity fragments.
As a result, the Army plans to employ both grenade types depending on the operational environment. The M67 fragmentation grenade will remain standard for open terrain where fragment dispersion is effective, while the M111 will be prioritized for confined spaces where blast effects are more suitable.
Increased Tactical Flexibility
Engineers involved in the program say the new grenade expands options available to soldiers during combat operations.
Tiffany Cheng, an engineer at the DEVCOM Armaments Center who worked on the M111 project, stated that the design allows soldiers and joint warfighters to select the most appropriate munition for specific situations.
“We’ve given our Soldiers and joint warfighters the flexibility to determine in the field which type of grenade will best suit the current situation they are facing, be it open space or confined area,” Cheng said.
The grenade can also be employed in scenarios where lethal fragments are not desired, helping reduce the risk of unintended damage to nearby structures or friendly personnel.
Training Compatibility and Standardization
To simplify adoption across the force, the M111 was designed to maintain compatibility with existing training procedures and equipment.
The grenade uses the same five-step arming process as the M67 fragmentation grenade. Its training version, designated M112, mirrors the operational grenade in handling and procedures. Similarly, the Army’s existing M69 practice grenade maintains the same arming sequence used with the M67.
The M111 and M112 also share identical fuze designs with the M67 and M69 systems. This standardization allows soldiers to train using procedures that are directly applicable to operational use without learning new handling techniques.
Army officials say this approach reduces training complexity, improves readiness, and allows for faster integration of the new munition across operational units.
Acquisition and Cost Efficiency
Beyond operational considerations, the M111 program also reflects broader reforms within the Army’s acquisition system.
Because the grenade shares components and fuzes with existing systems, the Army can utilize common manufacturing lines for multiple grenade types. This commonality reduces production costs and simplifies logistics.
Both the M111 grenade and its associated components are supported by government-owned intellectual property, enabling competition among manufacturers across the defense industrial base.
Col. Morris noted that the standardization of fuzes and arming procedures allows the Army to reduce procurement expenses while maintaining battlefield effectiveness.
“By standardizing the arming process and the fuzing, the Army saves taxpayer money without sacrificing lethality on the battlefield,” Morris said.
He added that the M111 program reflects ongoing efforts within the Army to modernize procurement practices while improving combat capability.
“This is the kind of acquisition reform that is currently underway throughout the Army acquisition enterprise,” Morris said. “We are taking advantage of that initiative to drive down costs while increasing combat effectiveness.”
With Full Material Release now granted, the M111 offensive grenade is cleared for fielding to operational units and will gradually replace the Mk3A2 series as the Army introduces the new munition across its inventory.
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