A 23rd-century grenade launcher.
A grenade launcher is any of a number of devices used to propel a small bomb called a grenade. Grenades are often thrown, but a grenade launcher may be used when greater range and accuracy are required than can be achieved by a throw.
In 2267, Captain James T. Kirk found a grenade launcher that had miraculously survived the Gorn attack on the Cestus III colony. With it, he was able to force the Gorn to decamp so that his landing party could escape their ambush. Presumably, the Gorn were not expecting to meet such determined resistance. This grenade was launched to impact at a range of about 1200 yards; which, according to tactical officer Kelowitz, was "a little close". At that range, there was little shock wave or debris, presumably, the danger would be from radiation, since the device generated an explosion similar to that of a photon torpedo, but with much less energy. (TOS: "Arena")
- The device shown would be called a mortar by a 20th century soldier; it is clearly a tube based, indirect fire weapon. Presumably, terminology has changed somewhat. The ammunition has no visible guidance system or aerodynamic attachments. Adjustments for range and azimuth were made on the tube. Either the tube communicated this information to a guidance system within the grenade, or the device was strictly ballistic. The former is more likely to be the case; in the late 20th century, purely ballistic weapons began giving way to computer guided weapons in many situations. The tradeoff was increased cost in exchange for greater accuracy, and less reliance on a forward observer or other means of gathering target data and assessing attack effectiveness.