The Army is buying 30 tons of powdered sugar to use in its smoke grenades
The Army is looking to buy 65,000 pounds of powdered sugar, a little-known but key ingredient in the chemical reaction that ignites military smoke grenades.
Patty Nieberg
Published Oct 15, 2025 6:08 PM EDT
A recent Army contracting notice looks at first glance more likely to be from a whimsical chocolate factory than a major weapons arsenal that produces battlefield-ready incendiary munitions. The contract, filed by officials at Pine Bluff Arsenal, Arkansas, which builds munitions for all military branches, is looking for bids on 65,000 pounds of powdered sugar for “grenades and smoke pots, according to federal contracting documents.
It turns out that sweet powdery sugar, the same you might put on funnel cake at a state fair, is a major ingredient to make things go boom, or at least hiss and spray smoke.
The sugar, the documents say, is “in support of the M18 /M83 Grenade Program and M8 Smoke Pot Program,” which are used across all U.S. military branches as smoke grenades. For bakers who might be wondering, the contract allows 6X, 10X or 12X varieties, but prefers it delivered in 50 lbs. bags.
An official with Joint Munitions Command said no experts were available for comment because of the government shutdown. However, getting the actual sugar does apparently transcend politics because the documents insist ”there is no effect on this requirement if there is a government shutdown.”
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/army-grenades-powdered-sugar/
