COLUMBUS, Ohio (May 27, 2026) – Battelle recently partnered with the U.S. Army Close Combat Systems Program Office to support the Full Material Release (FMR) of the new M111 Offensive Hand Grenade (OHG), the first new offensive hand grenade since 1968.
The M111 was developed over many years of close collaboration between the Army and Battelle to ensure a safe, high-quality, and repeatable manufacturing process. Battelle supported various stages of the development, starting with an initial concept, completing Process Verification Testing (PVT) and executing FMR by prototyping nearly 7,000 grenades and conducting first article and lot acceptance tests.
Battelle and the Army worked closely together over multiple years to refine the technical processes required to improve the grenades’ safety and performance for the warfighter. This new system provides soldiers with a safer alternative to the M67 fragmenting grenade by utilizing a blast over pressure effect, removing fragmenting effects and providing an alternative to better achieve mission success with less risk for fratricide.
“Battelle’s support to the M111 program has enabled the Army to qualify and transition the M111 to full-rate production,” said Sam Knutson, Division Manager forAdvanced Materials and Energetics. “With our unique position as a trusted development partner, we were able to ensure the government is now positioned to meet current and future production needs.”
“Through our work with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armament Center (DEVCOM AC) and customers across the military, Battelle is focused on rapidly advancing innovative solutions that directly benefit the warfighter,” said Dan Pikora, General Manager of Battelle’s National Security Business. “We are excited to continue collaborating with DEVCOM AC to deliver technologies that support mission success.”
