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
On December 5, Russia’s Izvestia released footage documenting recent strikes with Lancet loitering munitions on Ukrainian radars and air-defense systems in the special military operation zone.
The footage shows strikes on a P-18 long-range VHF radar and a 36D6 long-range surveillance and missile control radar as well as a dual attack on a moving S-300PS long-range air-defense system. A 5N63S fire control radar and a 5P85D transporter erector launcher of the system were targeted.
The ZALA Aero Group, a subsidiary of Russia’s defense giant Kalashnikov Concern, produces two versions of the Lancet, the Izdeliye-51 and Izdeliye-52. Both versions are equipped with an elector-optical system to detect, track and lock on static and moving targets.
The Izdeliye-52 is the base version of the Lancet with an endurance of 40 minutes and a three-kilogram warhead, while the larger Izdeliye-51 has an endurance of an hour and is armed with a warhead weighting five kilograms.
The small radar cross-section and minimal infrared signature of the Lancet makes it extremely difficult to track and intercept.
Ukraine received several air defense and electronic warfare systems from the United States and other NATO states recently. However, is still struggling to counter the threat of Russian loitering munitions, which inflicted heavy human and material losses on its forces in the last few months.
It’s worth noting that the Russian military has been employing other types of loitering munitions like the ZALA Aero Group’s KUB-BLA and the Geranium-1 and 2 which are thought to be copies of Iran’s Shahed-131 and 136.
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