DHAKA: The US army claimed to be working on a new kind of grenade that can either be used as fragmentation or a blast pressure device.

This grenade, the first to be introduced in the US army arsenal after 4o years will be able to limit damage in certain circumstances.

Picatinny Arsenal hosts the grenade experiment, BBC reports.

Unlike traditional grenades, the Enhanced Tactical Multi-Purpose (ET-MP) hand grenade is designed to be thrown with either the right or left hand.

“Current grenades require a different arming procedure for left-handed users,” said a statement by the US Army.

“Detonation time can now be narrowed down into milliseconds, and until armed, the hand grenade will not be able to detonate,” he said.

However, one expert told the BBC the grenade was not revolutionary.

“I’m slightly surprised the US has earmarked funds for it as it’s a relatively niche improvement at a time when budgets are stretched,” said Justin Bronk, research fellow in military sciences at the Royal United Services Institute think tank.

While left-handed soldiers have to be trained to use a traditional grenade slightly differently, it is not a huge issue for them, Bronk added.

“It might marginally reduce the chances of dropping it but they are not particularly difficult to use.”

Fighters can select which of the device's dual functions to use by flicking a switch, the US Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center said.

“Soldiers will not need to carry as many types of hand grenades,” said the unit’s Jessica Perciballi.

BDST: 1904 HRS, SEP 21, 2016
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