A new variant of the rifle-launched grenade, which will have more advanced technical and safety features than the present generation of grenades, is being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Army, reports The Tribune.

According to the report, the new 40 mm caliber grenade can be launched from an under-barrel launcher (UBL) attached to the fore of a standard issue rifle. Besides, it can also be launched from a multiple-grenade launcher (MGL), a dedicated hand-held weapon that is used to fire grenades from a cylindrical magazine similar to a conventional revolver.

The private industry will also be involved in the development of the grenade as the DRDO has invited the private players to participate in its development and manufacturing, according to the sources. The project reportedly comes in the wake of the government identifying eight types of ammunition for manufacturing by the private player, including 40 mm grenades.

As per the report, the DRDO’s Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) is developing the grenade.

Currently, the Army is employing two calibers of weapon-launched grenades - 30 mm and 40 mm variant. While the 30 mm caliber grenade is fired from a heavy, tripod-mounted automatic grenade launcher, the 40 mm variant is fired from a UBL or MGL.

“Besides use of composite materials from the fabrication of the body of the new grenade, a major technological upgrade vis-à-vis the older grenades would be the use of advanced new generation fuses that trigger the detonation,” a DRDO scientist was quoted in the report as saying.

The DRDO scientist added that some additional reliability and safety features have also been envisaged for the new grenade.

Rifle-launched

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