An Armed Forces of Ukraine member throws a simulated grenade during the section commanders' battle course on Operation KUDU 26. Photo: SGT Samuel Miller
New insights gleamed from the battlefields of Ukraine raise questions around the longevity of one of the Australian Defence Force’s oldest weapons, the humble and incredibly long-lived 30-year-old F1 fragmentation grenade.
The F1, which has served Australia well since the 1990s, is considered to be a reliable and effective munition. The grenade, importantly, should not be beyond reconsideration after decades of metals, explosives, design and strategy innovation, further accelerated by the war between Russia and Ukraine.
By the numbers, the F1 fragmentation grenade has an overall mass of 375 grams, explosive mass of 62 grams (RDX/Wax), delay of five seconds, lethal radius of six metres and 4,000 2.4mm steel balls. The F2 blast grenade has an overall mass of 225g, explosive mass of 110g, delay of five seconds and limited fragments.
Australia’s closest ally, the USA, is using the 180g explosive filler M67 grenade and the US Army is reportedly introducing a new M111 Offensive Hand Grenade designed to use blast overpressure effects less affected by obstacles in enclosed and restricted terrain.
Additionally, the German Armed Forces have already adopted a modular defensive and offensive DM51 grenade designed to perform both functions in the single system.
The Department of Defence and Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group had previously considered introducing a contemporary family of grenades under Tranche 2 of LAND 159 Lethality Systems Program in the 2020s.
New tricks
Of crucial importance, the war in Ukraine has demonstrated that grenades are no longer employed solely as hand-thrown infantry weapons.
They have become one of the most common payloads for kamikaze first-person-view drones, drone-dropped grenades and other uncrewed aerial systems, enabling precision attacks against trenches, bunkers, vehicles and personnel.
Grenades must now be considered for their adaptability with drone systems, their shape, weight distribution, fuse delay options and attachment methods. In addition, their design is increasingly of importance for its compatibility with autonomous and remotely operated delivery systems alongside the mainstay ergonomics for the warfighter. These are tasks that the F1 would never have been designed or considered for, and potentially a significant area of benefit during a refresh or replacement of the system.
The DM51, mentioned above, uses a modular grenade design around a common core; using this example there may now be potential to configure a new Australian grenade design using that modular idea instead for common fuse and explosive body more suited to attach for use with drones or autonomous systems.
Blast overpressure
New tactics surrounding those used by infantry in the closed quarter urban environments of Ukraine have shown a marked increase in the importance of leveraging blast overpressure through explosive force rather than fragmentation to deliver lethality.
“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. The risk of fratricide on the other side of the wall was too high,” said Colonel Vince Morris, project manager Close Combat Systems, CPE A&E, discussing the M111 offensive hand grenade.
“But a grenade utilising blast overpressure can clear a room of enemy combatants quickly, leaving nowhere to hide while ensuring the safety of friendly forces.”
Another option being used extensively in Ukraine by both Ukrainian and Russian forces includes thermobaric explosives. Compact thermobaric munitions have reportedly seen effective use in the enclosed spaces of Ukrainian battlefields, such as bunkers, tunnels and fortified positions.
Final thoughts
The Australian F1 has been a mainstay for 30 years in the Australian Defence Force, however, developing a next-generation grenade domestically for ADF use and potential export could provide opportunities to integrate new innovations learnt over that period, adapt strategies shown in modern warfare of Ukraine, utilise new materials, fusing technology and attachment to drone and autonomous systems.
Australia is investing heavily in new uncrewed combat vehicles, artillery, precision strike weapons and autonomous platforms; however, ensuring the infantry’s most basic explosive weapon evolves alongside those capabilities would be a reasonable expectation.
The Australian Defence Force’s next grenade has the opportunity to be smarter, more lethal and designed for a battlefield, where the thrower may no longer be a soldier at all.
New insights gleamed from the battlefields of Ukraine raise questions around the longevity of one of the Australian Defence Force’s oldest weapons, the humble and incredibly long-lived 30-year-old F1 fragmentation grenade.
The F1, which has served Australia well since the 1990s, is considered to be a reliable and effective munition. The grenade, importantly, should not be beyond reconsideration after decades of metals, explosives, design and strategy innovation, further accelerated by the war between Russia and Ukraine.
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By the numbers, the F1 fragmentation grenade has an overall mass of 375 grams, explosive mass of 62 grams (RDX/Wax), delay of five seconds, lethal radius of six metres and 4,000 2.4mm steel balls. The F2 blast grenade has an overall mass of 225g, explosive mass of 110g, delay of five seconds and limited fragments.
Australia’s closest ally, the USA, is using the 180g explosive filler M67 grenade and the US Army is reportedly introducing a new M111 Offensive Hand Grenade designed to use blast overpressure effects less affected by obstacles in enclosed and restricted terrain.
Additionally, the German Armed Forces have already adopted a modular defensive and offensive DM51 grenade designed to perform both functions in the single system.
The Department of Defence and Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group had previously considered introducing a contemporary family of grenades under Tranche 2 of LAND 159 Lethality Systems Program in the 2020s.
New tricks
Of crucial importance, the war in Ukraine has demonstrated that grenades are no longer employed solely as hand-thrown infantry weapons.
They have become one of the most common payloads for kamikaze first-person-view drones, drone-dropped grenades and other uncrewed aerial systems, enabling precision attacks against trenches, bunkers, vehicles and personnel.
Grenades must now be considered for their adaptability with drone systems, their shape, weight distribution, fuse delay options and attachment methods. In addition, their design is increasingly of importance for its compatibility with autonomous and remotely operated delivery systems alongside the mainstay ergonomics for the warfighter. These are tasks that the F1 would never have been designed or considered for, and potentially a significant area of benefit during a refresh or replacement of the system.
The DM51, mentioned above, uses a modular grenade design around a common core; using this example there may now be potential to configure a new Australian grenade design using that modular idea instead for common fuse and explosive body more suited to attach for use with drones or autonomous systems.
Blast overpressure
New tactics surrounding those used by infantry in the closed quarter urban environments of Ukraine have shown a marked increase in the importance of leveraging blast overpressure through explosive force rather than fragmentation to deliver lethality.
“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. The risk of fratricide on the other side of the wall was too high,” said Colonel Vince Morris, project manager Close Combat Systems, CPE A&E, discussing the M111 offensive hand grenade.
“But a grenade utilising blast overpressure can clear a room of enemy combatants quickly, leaving nowhere to hide while ensuring the safety of friendly forces.”
Another option being used extensively in Ukraine by both Ukrainian and Russian forces includes thermobaric explosives. Compact thermobaric munitions have reportedly seen effective use in the enclosed spaces of Ukrainian battlefields, such as bunkers, tunnels and fortified positions.
Final thoughts
The Australian F1 has been a mainstay for 30 years in the Australian Defence Force, however, developing a next-generation grenade domestically for ADF use and potential export could provide opportunities to integrate new innovations learnt over that period, adapt strategies shown in modern warfare of Ukraine, utilise new materials, fusing technology and attachment to drone and autonomous systems.
Australia is investing heavily in new uncrewed combat vehicles, artillery, precision strike weapons and autonomous platforms; however, ensuring the infantry’s most basic explosive weapon evolves alongside those capabilities would be a reasonable expectation.
The Australian Defence Force’s next grenade has the opportunity to be smarter, more lethal and designed for a battlefield, where the thrower may no longer be a soldier at all.
Robert is a senior journalist who has previously worked for Seven West Media in Western Australia, as well as Fairfax Media and Australian Community Media in New South Wales. He has produced national headlines, photography and videography of emergency services, business, community, defence and government news across Australia. Robert graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, Majoring in Public Relations and Journalism at Curtin University, attended student exchange program with Fudan University and holds Tier 1 General Advice certification for Kaplan Professional. Reach out via email at
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