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Subject: Next generation grenades
HYPOCENTER    1/11/2007 6:16:13 PM
The hand grenade is an important tool for the infantryman. Especially in a city or urban environment where spaces are tight--throwing one into a room will most likely clear it... or at least take the fight out of those within it. How will this old weapon will be modernized? I'm referring of course, to only lethal grenades and not riot control type of the non-lethal variety. I'd like to see thermobaric grenades. And anyone who knows the destructive power of thermobaric-based weapons knows why. They're ultra destructive.
 
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Herald1234    I like the idea as long as you can make it idiot proof.   1/23/2007 12:03:15 AM

A modern rifle grenade would be usefull.  There are shoot through and bullet trap models out that do no require the old WWII blank cartridge setup.  They have variable charges too.   For what it's worth, the Israelis like them.

Why have one M203 in a fireteam when everyone but the M249 could be a grenadier as needed? 

It would also be handy if you could throw them like the old potato masher as well as shoot them.  This one item might be able to replace the M203, conventional grenades, and small rocket launchers like the LAW.

Mike Sparks devotes some space on his website to them.  I suspect that some people won't like them just because it's a Sparky endorsed idea.  Let's be bigger than that.  Evaluate the idea and let it stand alone on it's own merits.



It bothers me that Private Shafu might just find a new way to drop a go-off-on-impact potato masher grenade. It might be a good idea; if the grenade had a twist ring idiot snapbar to arm before throwing that jewel which can also be snapped by the bullet in the bullet trap when he fires it off. Make it as simple to use as possible.

Idiot proofing is hard with grenades. 

Darwin's eggs.

Herald
 
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kirby1       2/27/2007 9:03:45 PM
How about a supposed Shaped charge or directed blast grenade. the directed blast frag would be a kind of  a quick and convenient claymore you could throw. Great for those times when you suddenly go from offense to defense. (One minute your in a helicopter flying to the fight, the next your laying next to the burning helicopter with a million pissed off opfor coming hurtling at you.) Also good for rapid retreats when theres no time to properly set a claymore. It'd also be a good way to frag a room without any of the frags coming back at you (Cept for ricochets of course.)
 
The shaped charge variant would be a good quick way to knock down door without having to either run up with satchel charges, or pop your head up with some sort of rocket launcher or grenade launcher. If the round could be made to stick to surfaces such as walls, or vehicle body panels, then it could possibly wind up being quite useful against VBIEDs.
 
As far as Rocket propelled grenades go, the future is probably in proximity fusing or range fusing. The proximity gives you a good airburst potential, and the range setting allows you to set the round off directly behind watever the enemy is using for cover.
 
 
 
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Rasputin       2/27/2007 10:12:51 PM
South Koreans in Vietnam tried this method of flushing out VC out of caves, they took claymores and tied them with cords.
Climbed up above the caves and lowered them into the cave entrances, once in positon they would detonate the claymores, seemed to have encourage many to surrender, without having to go in and flush them out.

For new nades, I would suggest :

Put the latest high yield explosives (so that you need less for the charge thus decreasing the weight and size), with ploymer or other suitable material instead of old heavy metal sharpnel.

You can also make shaped charge nades to destroy armour, as the Russians and in particular the IRA have already done so, a hand held RPG grenade.

Finally, make the fuses smart, let them be easily control detonated wirelessly or able to have an airburst capability.
Even be a mine.

But whatever the case, there should be a smart button that will allow the detonation of duds.
 
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