ZALA Lancet attack drone. © Marina Lystseva/TASS
The Lancet loitering munition has proved to be quite effective against Ukrainian weapons, acting head of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) Denis Pushilin said on April 21.
“They [Kiev forces] use air defense systems of various types. We, for our part, destroy them. The Lancet have proved to be very effective. A lot of enemy vehicles, along with artillery systems, have been hit by the Lancet,” TASS quoted Pushilin as saying during an interview with the Rossiya-24 TV.
The Lancet loitering munition was developed by the ZALA Aero Group, a subsidiary of Russia’s defense giant Kalashnikov Concern. The company produces two versions of the loitering munition, the Izdeliye-52 with an endurance of 30 minutes and a one-kilogram warhead and the larger Izdeliye-51 that has an endurance of 40 minutes and is armed with a warhead weighting three kilograms.
Both versions are equipped with a GLONASS-aided inertial navigation system, a laser ranging system, and an electro-optical system with a two-way data link that allows the operator to detect, track and lock on static and moving targets with pinpoint accuracy.
According to Lostarmour.info, a website that tracks and documents military losses, there have been at least 213 Lancet strikes against Kiev forces since the start of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine.
Lancet strikes hit 57 howitzers, ten multiple rocket launchers, 21 main battle tanks, 19 air defense systems, 18 radars and communication systems as well as four boats. Nearly all targets were either damaged, or completely destroyed.
Despite receiving advanced short-range air defense systems, radars and anti-drone electronic warfare systems from the United States and its NATO allies, Kiev forces are still unable to effectively stop the Lancet. Even countermeasures, like camouflage, protective nets and smokescreens failed against the loitering munition.
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