Sponge grenade
Encyclopedia
A sponge grenade is a riot control
weapon, intended to be non-lethal, which is fired from a 40 mm grenade
launcher to cause confusion, or otherwise temporarily disable its target. As a single blunt force object, it is best used when aimed at a particular individual.
The projectile, weighs about 28 grams (1 ounce). It is bullet-shaped, with a foam rubber nose and a high-density, plastic projectile body.
It is non-lethal munition round for a 40mm M203 or M79 grenade launcher
that provides temporary incapacitation through blunt trauma. Minimum engagement range is 10–15 metres, and maximum effective range is 50 metres. Muzzle velocity
at 50 metres is 200 feet per second.
Versions of these projectiles fired at a lower muzzle velocity are sometimes used in airsoft
games, fired from replicas of the aforementioned launchers.
Vehicle convoys in Iraq and Afghanistan have proven highly vulnerable to suicide bombers driving civilian vehicles. Rear gunners can not know whether approaching civilian vehicles are driven by innocent civilians, or by enemies. Rear gunners are supposed to warn off vehicles that approach the convoy too closely. If hand signals do not work the gunner is supposed to escalate to firing lethal rounds near the approaching vehicle, which puts nearby pedestrians at risk. If the approaching vehicle ignores the warning shot the gunner is supposed to alter their aim to try to target the vehicle's engine block, to disable it, rather than kill the occupants. A gunner whose weapon has a coaxial grenade launcher would not have to alter their point of aim if the driver ignores the sponge grenade warning shot.
Riot control
Riot control refers to the measures used by police, military, or other security forces to control, disperse, and arrest civilians who are involved in a riot, demonstration, or protest. Law enforcement officers or soldiers have long used non-lethal weapons such as batons and whips to disperse crowds...
weapon, intended to be non-lethal, which is fired from a 40 mm grenade
40 mm grenade
The 40mm grenade is a military grenade caliber for grenade launchers in service with many armed forces. There are two main types in service: the 40×46mm, which is a low-velocity round used in hand-held grenade launchers; and the high-velocity 40×53mm, used in mounted and crew-served weapons. The...
launcher to cause confusion, or otherwise temporarily disable its target. As a single blunt force object, it is best used when aimed at a particular individual.
The projectile, weighs about 28 grams (1 ounce). It is bullet-shaped, with a foam rubber nose and a high-density, plastic projectile body.
It is non-lethal munition round for a 40mm M203 or M79 grenade launcher
M79 grenade launcher
The M79 grenade launcher is a single-shot, shoulder-fired, break-action grenade launcher that fires a 40x46mm grenade which used what the US Army called the High-Low Propulsion System to keep recoil forces low, and first appeared during the Vietnam War...
that provides temporary incapacitation through blunt trauma. Minimum engagement range is 10–15 metres, and maximum effective range is 50 metres. Muzzle velocity
Muzzle velocity
Muzzle velocity is the speed a projectile has at the moment it leaves the muzzle of the gun. Muzzle velocities range from approximately to in black powder muskets , to more than in modern rifles with high-performance cartridges such as the .220 Swift and .204 Ruger, all the way to for tank guns...
at 50 metres is 200 feet per second.
Versions of these projectiles fired at a lower muzzle velocity are sometimes used in airsoft
Airsoft
Airsoft is a sport in which participants shoot round non-metallic pellets launched via replica firearms.Gameplay varies in style and composition but often range from short-term skirmishes, organized scenarios, military simulations, historical reenactments, to competition target shooting events...
games, fired from replicas of the aforementioned launchers.
Potential for injury or death
If used improperly—such as at distances closer than 10 metres—injuries to the targeted individual could prove fatal. Used properly, the weapon is intended to cause no permanent damage, but may, in some cases, cause broken bones, head wounds or permanent damage to eyes. When fired at point blank range, there have been cases of sponge grenades causing death.Use as a warning shot
According to the Canadian American Strategic Review the rear gunner in a vehicle convoy could use a sponge grenade as their warning shot, instead of live rounds.Vehicle convoys in Iraq and Afghanistan have proven highly vulnerable to suicide bombers driving civilian vehicles. Rear gunners can not know whether approaching civilian vehicles are driven by innocent civilians, or by enemies. Rear gunners are supposed to warn off vehicles that approach the convoy too closely. If hand signals do not work the gunner is supposed to escalate to firing lethal rounds near the approaching vehicle, which puts nearby pedestrians at risk. If the approaching vehicle ignores the warning shot the gunner is supposed to alter their aim to try to target the vehicle's engine block, to disable it, rather than kill the occupants. A gunner whose weapon has a coaxial grenade launcher would not have to alter their point of aim if the driver ignores the sponge grenade warning shot.
External links and sources
- More data and a picture from the website of the Federation of American ScientistsFederation of American ScientistsThe Federation of American Scientists is a nonpartisan, 501 organization intent on using science and scientific analysis to attempt make the world more secure. FAS was founded in 1945 by scientists who worked on the Manhattan Project to develop the first atomic bombs...