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Stun grenade
Less than lethal weapon explosive device

A stun grenade, also called a flashbang or sound bomb, is a non-lethal explosive device designed to temporarily disorient targets by producing a blinding flash of light and a loud bang. Commonly used in close-quarters combat, door breaching, and riot control, stun grenades were first deployed by the British Army Special Air Service’s counterterrorist unit in the late 1970s. Since then, both police and military forces worldwide have adopted their use. Although less-lethal, stun grenades can still cause injury or death if detonated too close and may ignite fires.

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Effects

Stun grenades are designed to produce a blinding flash of light of around 7 megacandela (Mcd) and an intensely loud "bang" of greater than 170 decibels (dB).7

Construction

Unlike a fragmentation grenade, stun grenades are constructed with a casing designed to remain intact during detonation and avoid fragmentation injuries, while having large circular cutouts to allow the light and sound of the explosion through. The filler comprises a pyrotechnic metal-oxidant mix of magnesium or aluminium and an oxidizer such as potassium perchlorate or potassium nitrate.8

Hazards

While stun grenades are designed to limit injury, permanent hearing loss has been reported.910 The concussive blast has the ability to cause injuries, and the heat generated may ignite flammable materials. The fires that occurred during the 1980 Iranian Embassy siege in London were caused by stun grenades.11

See also

  • Blast ball – Less-lethal hand grenade
  • Dazzler – Non-lethal temporary blindness weapon
  • M84 stun grenade – American less-lethal pyrotechnic
  • NICO BTV-1 flash-bang grenade – Flash-bang grenade used in the United States
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References

  1. "Drugs raid recovers tonnes of cocaine and marijuana in Chile". Daily Telegraph. London. September 3, 2014. Archived from the original on September 4, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140904053012/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/chile/11072826/Drugs-raid-recovers-tonnes-of-cocaine-and-marijuana-in-Chile.html ↩

  2. "Joint Intermediate Force Capabilities Office > Current Intermediate Force Capabilities > M-84 Flash Bang Grenade". jnlwp.defense.gov. Archived from the original on September 29, 2020. Retrieved 2024-08-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20200929104907/https://jnlwp.defense.gov/Current-Intermediate-Force-Capabilities/M-84-Flash-Bang-Grenade/ ↩

  3. "SAS - Weapons - Flash Bang | Stun Grenade". Elite UK Forces. Archived from the original on 2017-08-31. Retrieved 2013-05-29. http://www.eliteukforces.info/special-air-service/weapons/stun-grenade.php ↩

  4. Bonneville, Leigh, The SAS 1983-2014 (Elite), Osprey Publishing, 2016, ISBN 1472814037 ISBN 978-1472814036, p.9 /wiki/ISBN_(identifier) ↩

  5. McEvoy, Matthew, et al. "State violence against protesters: Perspectives and trends in use of less lethal weapons." Torture Journal 34.1 (2024): 35. ↩

  6. Angwin, Julia; Nehring, Abbie. "Hotter Than Lava". ProPublica. Retrieved 2023-09-08. https://www.propublica.org/article/flashbangs ↩

  7. "Measurement of Exposure to Impulsive Noise at Indoor and Outdoor Firing Ranges During Tactical Training Exercises" (PDF). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-12-19. Retrieved 2013-08-25. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/reports/pdfs/2013-0124-3208.pdf ↩

  8. Tumbarska, Adelina (2018), "Non-Lethal Weapons in Domestic Law Enforcement: Some Legal and Ethical Aspects", 4th International Conference on Human Security, Belgrade: University of Belgrade, Faculty of Security Studies, Human Security Research Center, pp. 39–45, doi:10.18485/fb_ic4hs.2018.4, ISBN 978-86-80144-30-6, retrieved 2023-02-08 978-86-80144-30-6 ↩

  9. "Stun grenades cause permanent hearing loss". Kashmir Observer. Archived from the original on 2018-02-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20180214073334/https://kashmirobserver.net/2016/local-news/stun-grenades-cause-permanent-hearing-loss-dak-9896 ↩

  10. Hambling, David (August 6, 2009). "Military Still Trying to Replace Dangerous Stun Grenades". Wired. https://www.wired.com/2009/08/military-still-trying-to-replace-dangerous-stun-grenades/ ↩

  11. Perry, Mike (April 30, 2020). "40 years ago the British SAS stormed the Iranian Embassy and became world famous". The SOFREP Media Group. Retrieved June 12, 2023. https://sofrep.com/news/iranian-embassy-siege/ ↩