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M31 HEAT

1957 COLD WAR

History of the M31 HEAT

Although the Japanese had experimented with rifle grenades in 1904-1905, it was used by the French during the First World War (1914-1918). Rifle grenades extend infantry-level firepower by allowing standard service rifles to pick up and fire grenade projectiles, increasing the range and lethality of infantry ranges. Numerous rifle grenade designs quickly emerged from parties around the globe, and their use continued into World War II (1939-1945) and beyond.

By the time of the Korean War (1950-1953) the US Army had adopted the Belgian "ENERGA" series (detailed elsewhere on this page), but this was only already being developed as an intermediate step towards a completely new indigenous rifle grenade design Medium - M31 HEAT ("High Explosive Anti-Tank").

The M31 outperforms the ENERGA by reducing internal complexity and overall weight while improving battlefield performance and reliability. Design work began in the mid-to-late 1950s, leading to mass production by the end of the century. Its use on the battlefield mostly covers anti-tank roles, but the shell also has some value for infantry.

The effective attack range reaches 115 meters, while the maximum range peaks at 185 meters from the gunner's position.