Lancet (kamikaze drone)

"Lancet" is the common name for a line of barraging ammunition. "Product 52," for example, is the younger brother from the line, with less weight and volume of warhead, "product 51" is larger (as well as the consequences of its use).

2024:1000 published episodes of the use of "Lancets" in Ukraine

In January 2024, the Lostarmour portal announced the 1000th published episode of the use of Lantset barraging ammunition in the North-West Military District zone in Ukraine. This time, the target of the drone with a thermal imaging camera was the Grad MLRS southwest of Kurakhovo, about 20 km from the front line.

According to the collected statistics on the use of the Lancets since July 2022, 32% of the targets were destroyed. Another 52% were damaged or incapacitated.

In 49% of cases, the targets of kamikaze drones were artillery installations - self-propelled guns, towed howitzers and MLRS. This makes the Lancet the most effective Russian means of counter-battery struggle at this time.

Approximately 12% of the arrivals came from anti-aircraft missile systems and radars of Ukrainian formations, which are relatively scarce and extremely popular weapons for the enemy.

About 10% of the Lancets used were equipped with a target auto-capture system designed for the effective operation of the complex in conditions of interference from enemy electronic warfare systems.

The list includes only objectively confirmed strikes - in reality there are even more of them. However, the figure of 1,000 episodes well demonstrates the scale of production of these barraging ammunition and the use of Russian troops.

2023

Russian kamikaze drones "Lancet" have learned to bypass anti-drone nets

Russian kamikaze drones "Lancet" have learned to bypass anti-drone nets. This was reported in November 2023 by the Russian and Ukrainian media.

According to the Russian Spring Telegram channel, the Lancet drones received additional cameras that ensure the operation of LIDAR, a system for obtaining data on remote objects by reflecting light and scattering it in transparent and translucent environments. With this technology, the warhead of the drone detonates at a distance from the target, after the explosion, the cumulative jet flies to the object and hits it. Several meters do not reduce the piercing properties of such ammunition.

"Lancet" learned to bypass antidronic nets

If the modification gains momentum, then the equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with protective nets, which until then could not boast of great efficiency, will become defenseless, Ukrainian resources recognize, the Telegram channel points out.

According to Rossiyskaya Gazeta, in March 2023 it became known that the Russian Product-52 barraging ammunition, also known as the Lancet, was modernized taking into account the experience of the special operation. Thus, kamikadza drones received, in particular, a more powerful warhead, which makes it possible to guarantee to hit "typical targets" - armored vehicles, howitzers and enemy manpower.

Depending on the version, the Lancet has a maximum flight range of 40-50 km, the maximum takeoff weight is about 12 kg. In combat mode, it can be armed with both high-explosive fragmentation and cumulative combat units.

The Russian military is showing "miracles" in improving the Lancet kamikaze drone, said Natalya Gumenyuk, a representative of the South operational command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in October 2023, whose words are quoted by RBC. According to her, if earlier these drones were barraged at a distance of up to 40 km, now their flight capabilities have increased to 60-70 km.^[1]

Why the Armed Forces of Ukraine are afraid of Russian kamikaze drones "Lancet"

Soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) consider Russian kamikaze drones "Lancet" one of the main threats. The Telegraph wrote about this in August 2023.

There are a lot of them, and they cause a lot of trouble to our troops, because we do not have such weapons, - quotes the publication of one of the fighters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Drone kamikaze "Lancet"

According to The Telegraph, the Russian drone can easily disable enemy armored vehicles, while it is compact in size. The largest number of difficulties the Lancets deliver to the gunners of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Journalists note that it is impossible to easily defend against Russian drones, since they maneuver very well.

The American portal 19FortyFive published material by columnist Peter Suchiu, who notes that the Lancet and other kamikaze drones are increasingly being used by the Russian Federation during a special military operation in Ukraine. The expert said that the cost of one Lancet is about $35 thousand - this is much cheaper than S-300 air defense missile systems that are hit by drones.

Inexpensive kamikaze drone "Lancet"... weighing 12 kilograms with a warhead of 3 kilograms... increasingly considered as one of the most serious threats to Ukrainian troops, the article says.

According to the adviser to the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Yury Sak, the Western allies could supply Kyiv with more weapons, since the Armed Forces of Ukraine are experiencing difficulties due to the Russian Lancet drones.

Our intelligence says that the Russians have begun to invest more in the production of these UAVs. Let's not praise the Russians, but this is not a bad weapon... We are concerned about anything that can damage our equipment or pose a danger to our troops, "he said in an interview with The Telegraph.[2]

Order from the president to increase production

On August 7, 2023, the president Russia Vladimir Putin held a meeting with the head of Rostec"." Sergey Chemezov At it, the head states instructed to increase the production of not only drones, but also other latest weapons. In particular, it was about the kamikaze drones "Lancet" and "."Cube

It is necessary to increase the percentage of production of the latest weapons. T-90 "Breakthrough," aircraft complexes. You know what it's about, "Putin said, addressing Chemezov.

Meeting Vladimir Putin with the head of the state corporation "Rostec" Sergei Chemezov.

According to the President of the Russian Federation, both Kub and Lancet have demonstrated very high efficiency.

The blow is powerful, any equipment, including foreign production, is not just burning, but also exploding ammunition. The manufacturers promised me that they would increase the number of production. They cope with this promise, but they need to increase more, - said the Russian leader.

An unmanned aerial strike vehicle from the Russian arms concern Kalashnikov Lancet is capable of reconnaissance and attack a target under the control of an operator. The drones come in two versions: the light Lancet-1 and the heavy Lancet-3. Both modifications use an electric motor and protection from laser weapons. The maximum speed of drones can reach 300 km/h.

In August 2023, the British newspaper The Telegraph called the Lancet drone one of the main threats to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. One of the Ukrainian militants complained to the publication that there are a lot of Lancets, "and they cause a lot of trouble," since Ukraine "does not have such weapons."

The material notes that this drone easily destroys armored vehicles, despite its small size, and Ukrainian gunners especially do not like the Russian drone for its high maneuverability. The Lancets rule out the possibility of "easy protection."^[3]

Comparison of kamikaze drones of Russia and the United States: "Lancet-3" and Switchblade-600

In Ukraine, appreciated the pros and cons of "Lancets"

In April 2023, the Rybar team had at its disposal a document analyzing the effectiveness and tactics of using the Lancet-1 and Lancet-3 barraging ammunition, carried out by the Ukrainian General Staff for the period 2022-2023. The authors tried to determine the pros and cons of drones and assess the level of threat posed by them.

As strengths of the Lancets, the Ukrainian command noted the equipment with modern multifunctional guidance systems and the possibility of their use against moving objects at a range of up to 60 km.

In addition, the small size of drones, their relative silence and the design of composite materials make them extremely difficult targets for detection by radar detection means.

Among the shortcomings of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, they noted a low flight speed (up to 100 km/h) and not too large a warhead (from one to five kilograms), which makes them ineffective against armored targets.

In Kyiv, it is believed that the massive supply of kamikaze drones of this type created serious problems for the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in various directions. In total, more than 200 pieces of artillery, especially American M777 howitzers, have been destroyed or damaged since their mass use began.

At the same time, the duration of barraging of 30-40 minutes was recognized as sufficient to support ground units of the RF Armed Forces at the tactical level. However, the Ukrainian command believes that at the moment they are used only by servicemen in the MTR and mobile reconnaissance groups, which limits the capabilities of the infantry forces of the Russian Armed Forces.

The most dangerous period of their use is at night from 23.00 to 06.00 due to the difficulty in visually monitoring the air situation and determining the exact number of flying ammunition.

The report indicated a curious detail: the Lancets are usually used in conjunction with the Orlan-10 and Orlan-30 reconnaissance UAVs, as well as the Iranian Mohajer-4 and Mohajer-6 reconnaissance and strike UAVs. Which is quite strange, since ZALA reconnaissance drones are usually used in the pair.

Destruction of the howitzer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with barraging ammunition "Lancet"

The Lancet kamikaze drones did demonstrate their high effectiveness in defeating enemy artillery firing points. In combination with reconnaissance equipment with good optical systems, barraging ammunition becomes an effective means of fire suppression.

2022

Analysis of the defeat of some goals in Ukraine

Based on data from open sources and materials @ Lostarmour, the Rybar telegram channel analyzed the losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from drone strikes from October 13 to November 12, 2022.

The list includes only equipment, the personnel of defeat of which is freely available. In it you can especially single out:

• 11 towed howitzers M777, FH-70, Msta-B and D-20 (all but one was destroyed),
• 7 tanks T-64, T-72, T-80BV (1 destroyed, the rest damaged),
• 7 ACS "Acacia," "Carnation," M109 and Krab (2 destroyed, the rest damaged),
• 6 armored vehicles BMP-1/2, BTR-60, XA-180, M1151 and GAAI Amir (all destroyed),
• 4 Buk, Osa and Strela-10M air defense systems (2 destroyed, 2 damaged),
• 5 radar stations 36D6 and P-18 (all but one was destroyed),
• 3 S-300 launchers (2 destroyed, 1 damaged),
• 1 Gunza-M armored boat (damaged).

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation showed the use of a kamikaze drone

On October 13, 2022, the Russian Defense Ministry showed the use of the Lancet kamikaze drone against the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) as part of a military special operation.

The video contains fragments of attacks by kamikaze drones on armored vehicles, howitzers, tanks, special vehicles in the Nikolaev-Krivorozhsky direction. They were used by units of the Airborne Forces.

Drone kamikaze "Lancet"

The video shows an image with a camera mounted on the homing head moving towards the SUV, next to which are Ukrainian soldiers.

This is followed by scenes taken from another drone. The Lancet can be seen flying up to the car, the kamikaze drone crashes into the target, then an explosion occurs. Some of the soldiers manage to hide in the trench. According to RIA Novosti, this is the first case of the use of this ammunition against the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The Lancet-1 and Lancet-3 barraging munitions are unmanned aerial vehicles weighing only 12 kg, capable of reconnaissance and hitting a found target. Such kamikaze drones are capable of hovering in the air, waiting for the moment to strike, according to the Rostec website. Two models of the drone differ in flight duration and weight of the warhead. The Lancet-3 has a flight time of 40 minutes and a payload weight of 3 kg. Plastic and other materials are used for the Lancets.

The Lancet-3 is equipped with an optoelectronic device that allows the operator to detect the target and point the ammunition. Also, barraging ammunition allows you to cancel the attack.

In July 2022, the Russian security forces said that the latest Russian light unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from the Lastochka complex were also used in the military special operation zone in Ukraine^[4]

Rostec told about the successful use of kamikaze drones in Ukraine

On June 8, 2022, Rostec"" talked about the successful use of To Ukraine kamikaze drones "" and Cube"Lancet." Both drones, as reported TASS with reference to a representative of the state corporation, are quite fast, silent, easy to use, capable of overcoming tens of km and have high accuracy.

It is noted that drones are used to destroy remote ground targets. At the same time, "Lancete" has a high level of autonomy and carries an optical-electronic complex that allows you to independently find the target and hit, the agency's interlocutor added.

Drone kamikaze "Lancet"

In February 2022, RIA Novosti, citing a military-diplomatic source, reported that the Russian military used a deeply modernized version of the Lancet kamikaze drone against militants in Syria. This version of the barraging ammunition, according to the agency, can carry a larger warhead.

As part of the tests, the new version of the Lancet-3 barraging ammunition was used several times by units of the Russian military for the positions of terrorists in Syria, the source said.

The updated kamikaze drone is equipped with improved aerodynamics. As a result, it now has one large X-wing and an X-tail tail tail (there were two symmetrical X-wings in the previous version).

The Russian barraging ammunition "Lancet-3," which was tested in Syria, will allow striking at unknown targets, said military expert Alexei Leonkov in a conversation with Izvestia.

There are other advantages to this type of weapon. For example, they can be reversed if a target has not been detected. With a missile or a guided projectile, this will not work, - said Leonkov.

Also, an unmanned vehicle can hang in a given area. This allows the operator to clarify the coordinates of the target and select the time for an effective attack.^[5]

Comparison UAV Lancet 3 и SwithBlade 600

2021: Russian Navy equips ships with kamikaze drones

At the end of October 2021, it became known about the decision of the Russian Navy to use kamikaze drones. We are talking about ammunition intended for strikes on ground and sea objects of the enemy. Such drones are very effective against light boats and motor boats, which are actively used by saboteurs and militants. UAVs of this type are indispensable during special operations of the marine corps and special forces on the shore.

According to Izvestia, kamikaze drones will support the marines, scouts and special forces. At the same time, the innovation will not require a significant alteration of the decks of the ships.

Russian Navy equips ships with kamikaze drones

The newspaper recalls that the Russian kamikaze drones Kub and Lancet have already been successfully used in Syria. According to military expert Viktor Murakhovsky, the barraging ammunition "can hang at altitude even before the attack and wait for the firing points to work."

If a worthy goal is identified, they will immediately dive on it. A great advantage of such tactics is the instant destruction of firing points. In addition, such drones have video cameras, which will allow them to be used for reconnaissance, - said the specialist.

Bekhan Ozdoev, industrial director of the arms complex of the Rostec state corporation, noted that kamikaze drones in Syria have shown themselves to be effective tools on the battlefield with their advantages. For example, they are noticeably cheaper than missiles and are almost invisible to enemy radars.

Military expert Dmitry Boltenkov, in a conversation with the publication, noted that kamikaze drones will help special forces soldiers and scouts. Now the military can detect important targets, such as rocket launchers, and report them to ships, from where they will strike "kamikaze." At the same time, the scouts themselves will not reveal themselves.

Drones "Lancet-1" and "Lancet-3." The first of them is equipped with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead weighing 1 kg. In this configuration, it has a takeoff weight of only 5 kg.^[6]

Notes