The Russian military has begun arming its soldiers with a new type of grenade - the RG-60 hand-held fragmentation-thermobaric grenade, which they are already using in the war against Ukraine. This is reported by Militarnyi.
The novelty was developed by the Research Institute of Applied Chemistry, which also patented a new grenade design called RG-60TBO1. Its feature is an updated body with a fragmentation effect. It has 900 ready-made striking elements in the form of steel balls. The body itself is made of polymer material.
Grenades provide a double effect on infantry. First, they spray a flammable aerosol substance with subsequent ignition, which creates a high-temperature flash and a strong drop in atmospheric pressure. The impact zone for infantry in Class 2 (NIJ IIA) body armor is up to eight meters.
Secondly, there is a hit by metal balls, which can lead to serious injuries. Their speed of flight can be 1300-1500 m/s. This exceeds the initial speed of an AK-74 bullet, which reaches about 900 m/s.
At the same time, the Ukrainian military also uses thermobaric grenades of the RGT-27 series. In 2020, they received a modification with a rectangular and cylindrical body. However, they do not use fragmentation elements, so such grenades are used only in closed rooms. In open space, their effectiveness is very low.
Earlier, the Elastic gunpowder factory in Russia exploded, killing several employees. In the fall of 2021, an explosion occurred in the workshop of the private explosives manufacturer Razryad at this enterprise, killing 17 people.