September 9, 1999

The US Army has issued an emergency acquisition order for 486 Israeli-made Rifle-Launched Entry Munitions. This is basically a rifle grenade (launched when a bullet strikes the rear of the grenade and is trapped there) with a range of about 30m. It can knock down wood or steel doors and has "little collateral effect". The Army insists that the "emergency order" was in motion prior to the deployment of peacekeeping troops into Kosovo.--Stephen V Cole