Australian Munitions and Diehl to develop new hand grenade

Thales-owned Australian Munitions and German company Diehl have signed an agreement to co-develop an insensitive munitions variant of the Australian in-service fragmentation hand grenade.

Insensitive Munitions (IM) are designed to only detonate when deployed against a target, and will not detonate as a result of mechanical shocks, fire or impact from shrapnel.

The project follows on from work undertaken by Australian Munitions during its rapid development of a blast variant of the current Australian in-service fragmentation grenade to meet an urgent operational requirement in 2011.

Kevin Wall, Australian Munitions executive general manager, said: “Dismounted close combat is the right place to start with the introduction of IM products. We have listened carefully to our customers’ requirements, and it is clear that by working with Diehl we can produce a very effective grenade that increases soldier safety and meets the required performance.”

Frank Kienzler, head of Diehl’s Land Forces Business Unit, said: “We appreciate being able to contribute our many years of experience in developing and producing insensitive ammunition to the corporate cooperation benefiting the Australian Armed Forces. This is a further step in expanding our strategic cooperation between Thales and Diehl.”