Israeli military introduces bulletproof grenade

JERUSALEM -- The Israeli army's Ground Forces Command said it will soon begin using a new, safer type of hand grenade that can potentially save troops' lives by not exploding if struck by an enemy bullet, local media reported Wednesday.

The grenade is an upgraded version of the standard-issue No. 26 fragmentation grenade, which has been in service since the 1950s and is common in infantry units.

Israel Military Industries and the army's Munitions Branch partnered in developing the grenade following the death of two soldiers who were killed when a bullet hit and detonated a grenade they carried.

The military would not divulge details of the technology used in the new grenade, allowing only that it contains a unique, patented safety feature that shields its spark from a strike by gunfire and shrapnel. The upgraded model retains the same size and weight of its predecessor.

"I can say that the grenade's inner design has been changed in a way that neutralizes its explosive charge if it is hit by a round. No such grenade exists anywhere else in the world," said Captain Ziv Berger, head of the Light Ammunition Department in the Ground Forces Command's Technology Division, according to The Jerusalem Post.

According to local media reports, the Israeli Defense Ministry has already ordered tens of thousands of these grenades, though military sources estimated that it would take 10 to 15 years before they completely replace the older model.