| F-1 | |
|---|---|
 F-1 hand grenade | |
| Type | Anti-personnelhand grenade |
| Place of origin | Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1939–present |
| Wars | World War II Hukbalahap Rebellion Korean War Vietnam War Rhodesian Bush War[1] Six-Day War Yom Kippur War Angolan Civil War Iran-Iraq War Iraq War First Libyan Civil War Syrian Civil War War in Donbas Russian invasion of Ukraine |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 600 g (1.3 lb) |
| Length | 130 mm (5.1 in) |
| Diameter | 55 mm (2.2 in) |
| Filling | Trinitrotoluene |
| Filling weight | 60 g (2.1 oz) |
Detonation mechanism | Time delay fuse 3.2 to 4.2 s |
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TheSovietF-1hand grenade (Russian:Фугасный 1,romanized: Fugasnyy 1,lit. 'Explosive, Type No. 1') is an anti-personnelfragmentation defensive grenade.
The F-1 was introduced duringWorld War II and subsequently redesigned post-war.
While the F-1 is no longer regarded as a front-line weapon with the formerWarsaw Pact countries, it still remains in widespread use, especially with insurgent groups.[2]
The F-1 grenade’s body based on theFrench F1 grenade cast iron body and contains a 60 g (2.1 oz) explosive charge (TNT). The total weight of the grenade with thefuze is about 600 g (21 oz).[3]
Due to its shape and its yellow-green color, it is nicknamed thelimonka (fem. 'little lemon'). It is also nicknamedEfka (Russian:Эфка) for the letter F.[4]
The F-1 also is similar to the AmericanMk 2 "pineapple grenade", which was ultimately modeled on the French F-1.
The F-1 has a steel exterior that is notched to facilitatefragmentation upon detonation and to prevent hands from slipping. The distance the grenade can be thrown is estimated at 30–45 m (98–148 ft).
Theradius of the fragment dispersion is up to 200 m (660 ft) (effective radius is about 30 m (98 ft),[5]). Hence, the grenade has to be deployed from a defensive position to avoid self-harm.
About 60 percent of the grenade body pulverizes during the explosion, only 30 percent of the body splits into 290 high-velocity, sharp-edged splinters each weighing around 1 gram with an initial speed of about 700 m/s (2,300 ft/s).
The F1 uses the UZRG-Mfuze (Russian:УЗРГ-М,romanized: Universal'nyi Zapal, Ruchnaya Granata, Modernizirovannyi,lit. 'Universal igniter, hand grenade, modernized').
The UZRGM is a universal Russian type fuse also used in theRG-42 andRGD-5 grenades. The standard time delay for this fuze is 3.5 to 4 seconds.
There was a myth originating from an article written byPeter Kokalis[citation needed] for theSoldier of Fortune (magazine) that implied UZRGM fuze variants are available in versions with delays from zero (i.e., instantaneous, specifically for use inbooby-traps) to 13 seconds. However the UZRGM fuze never had such variants, and all UZRGM fuzes have delay of 3.2 to 4.2 seconds if working correctly.
The myth originated from the author reading the numbers stamped on the fuze body, which are concealed when the fuze is inserted into the grenade. This number indicates the factory production line, not the fuze delay.
Having fuzes without clear external marking indicating that it is "short fuze" with 0 or 1–2 seconds delay would be dangerous for soldier operating them.[6] It is possible to hear a loud "pop" as the fuze ignites and begins to burn.
The URG (Russian:учебная ручная граната,romanized: Uchebnaya ruchnaya granata,lit. 'Training hand grenade') is the F-1's simulation-training variant.
Several countries produced copies of the F-1 grenade, including China (as the Type 1), Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Georgia, Poland, and Romania.[7] There are different production variations according to country of origin, including fuze and explosive filling.
Produced locally as the Type 1 grenade[2][8] and the Type 54-2.
Rifle grenade variant with an impact fuze instead of a time delay fuze.[7]
In 2024, Ukraine started production of an improved F-1 grenade which was approved for military use in September 9, 2024.[9]
Several insurgent groups have produced their own grenades based on the F-1.[2]
Bulgaria[2]
China
Czechoslovakia[10] Czech Republic[2]
Georgia[11]
Iraq[12]
North Korea[13]
Poland
Romania[11]
Russia[11]
Soviet Union
South Yemen
Syria[14]
Ukraine
Vietnam[8]{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)