MOSCOW REGION, RUSSIA – JUNE 25, 2019: A ZALA Lancet-3 attack drone developed by Kalashnikov Concern on display at the Army 2019 International Military Technical Forum at Patriot Park. Marina Lystseva/TASS
Kiev forces have lost eight vehicles as a result of recent precision strikes with Lancet loitering munitions by the Russian military.
Russian news sources shared videos of the strikes between May 16 and 27. The strikes damaged or destroyed an American-made M113 armored personnel carrier, five unidentified armored vehicles and two modified SUVs, which are typically used by Ukrainian special forces and foreign mercenaries.
The ZALA Aero Group, a subsidiary of Russia’s defense giant Kalashnikov Concern, produces two versions of the Lancet, 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.
The loitering munition flies towards the designated area with a GLONASS-aided inertial navigation system. After arriving in the area, the operator utilizes an onboard electro-optical system via a two-way data-link to detect, track and lock on the target. A laser-ranging system then controls the detonation of the warhead.
Early on in the special military operation, the Russian military used Lancet loitering munitions only against high-value targets of Kiev forces, like howitzers, main battle tanks, air defense systems and radars. However, recently the range of targets expanded to include light vehicles, likely as a result of an increase in the production of the system.
According to Lostarmour.info, a website that tracks military losses, 54 Lancet strikes have been documented since the start of March, more than double the number recorded just three months ago.
Ukrainian attempts to stop the Lancet with air defense fire, electronic warfare systems and countermeasures have so far seen very little to no success.
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