F1 grenade (Australia)


The F1 fragmentation hand grenade is manufactured by Thales Australia and is used by the Australian Defence Force.

History

The F1 grenade replaced the M26 grenade in Australian service in the late 1990s. It is a high explosive, anti-personnel grenade with a lethal radius of, casualty radius of and a safety radius of. The grenade weighs 375g and contains over 4000 2.4 mm steel ball fragments arranged to achieve uniform distribution of lethal fragments through 360° upon functioning. It has a fuse time of 4.5 to 5.5 seconds. Thales Australia also manufactures an F3 practice grenade, being a non-fragmentation replica of the F1 used for training, incorporates a high impact aluminium die cast body and hazard band with a distinctive appearance. The F3 practice hand grenade has a replaceable pyrotechnic fuze that displays an audible output and a distinct cloud of white smoke visible to to indicate functioning.
A number of failures of the F1 grenades to detonate were reported in 2006 during combat operations in the Middle East. Later, in September 2007, the grenade was temporarily withdrawn from service after a civilian Defence employee was seriously injured in an accident at the Defence Proof and Experimental Establishment at Graytown, Victoria. Stocks of the M67 grenade were procured from the United States in the interim. The grenade was returned to service in October 2007 after it was deemed technically sound.
In 2013 it was announced that Thales in partnership with German company Diehl will develop an insensitive munitions variant.