The U.S. Army said it approved the M111 Offensive Hand Grenade for full material release, marking the first new lethal hand grenade cleared for service since 1968.

Developed by the Capabilities Program Executive Office Ammunition and Energetics (CPE A&E) in partnership with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center at Picatinny Arsenal, the M111 replaces the aging Mk3A2 series. 

For decades, the Army has relied on the M67 fragmentation hand grenade. The M67 uses metal fragments to damage targets, a method that can be hazardous in enclosed spaces like rooms or buildings.

Unlike traditional fragmentation grenades, the M111 employs blast overpressure (BOP) to incapacitate enemy personnel in confined areas. The M111 features a fully consumed plastic body, providing a safer option for both training and operational use.

“One of the key lessons learned from the door-to-door urban fighting in Iraq was that the M67 grenade wasn’t always the right tool for the job. The risk of fratricide on the other side of the wall was too high,” explained Col. Vince Morris, Project Manager Close Combat Systems, CPE A&E. “But a grenade utilizing blast overpressure can clear a room of enemy combatants quickly, leaving nowhere to hide while ensuring the safety of friendly forces.”

“In open terrain, the soldier will employ the M67 to maximize lethal fragment effects, whereas in enclosed and restricted terrain, Soldiers will employ the M111 to maximize BOP effects on the enemy,” the Army said in a statement. 

Another major benefit of the new M111 design is standardization. Both the M111 and its training counterpart, the M112, follow the same five-step arming procedure used by the M67 and its training version, the M69, letting soldiers train under conditions that closely match real combat scenarios and boosting overall battlefield effectiveness. 

The new grenades also share fuzes with their M67/M69 counterparts, allowing the Army to reduce costs through economies of scale and streamlined fuze production.