Lancet-3, screen grab from a report by Russia-24.
On July 15, Ukrainian sources shared a photo showing the wreckage of a Russian Lancet loitering munition that was allegedly shot down near one of the frontlines in Zaporizhzhia oblast.
While this is the first time the loitering munition is spotted in Ukraine, it was reported in June that the Russian military has been using the system against Kiev forces since the begging of its special operation in the country.
Click to see full-size image. Via Twitter.
The Lancet was developed by the ZALA Aero Group, a s subsidiary of Russian defense giant Kalashnikov. The largest version of the loitering munition, the Lancet-3, has an operational range of 40 kilometers, an endurance of up to 40 minutes, a speed of 80 to 110 kilometers per hour. The munition is equipped with an elector-optical system that allows it to detect, track and lock on its target. It is armed with a three-kilogram warhead.
An improved version of the Lancet with extended x-shaped wings that allows for a longer rang and endurance was recently developed by the ZALA Aero Group.
The ZALA Aero Group also produces the KUB-BLA, a simpler loitering munition that is designed to engage static targets only. The loitering munition has an operational range of 40-60 kilometers, an endurance of 30 minutes and a speed of 80 to 130 kilometers per hour. It is also armed with a warhead weighting three kilograms.
Loitering munitions like the Lancet and the KUB-BLA allow the Russian military to engage high-value targets behind the line of sight with high precision on a short notice. These loitering munitions are cheap and easy to manufacture. Furthermore, the small radar cross-section and minimal infrared signature of these munitions make them hard to detect and intercept.
