Ukraine to manufacture 'kamikaze' drone model replicating Russia's Lancet: impact and implications

Ukraine's Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, announced the "Ukrainian Lancet" production. He guarantees the new combat drone will have a target range of approximately 40 kilometers away. Currently, Kyiv is examining the available options, and according to Fedorov, initial contracts with Ukrainian firms will be finalized within the coming weeks. Shortly after, these devices will begin to appear on the front line. Fedorov stated, "It's difficult to provide specific dates, but within a couple of months, knowledge about new drones will begin to surface in Russian public domains."

The Lancet circulating ammunition, an innovation by Zala Group, a branch of the Kalashnikov Group, is among Putin's army's more efficient kamikaze drones. Using these drones, the Russians obliterate valuable artillery and other military equipment. Even specialist anti-drone nets, which we have consistently reported on, are ineffective against Lancets. The drones are engineered to detonate on collision with the target, consequently inflicting as much devastation as possible.

One of the recent launches in the Lancet drone family is Lancet-3. The ammunition was first introduced in 2019 during the Military Technical Forum held in Moscow. Meanwhile, its inaugural combat deployment happened during the civil war in Syria in November 2020. The primary objective of this drone is to annihilate enemy locations and equipment, though Lancet-3 can also undertake observation and reconnaissance missions.

The drone's maximum take-off weight is around 12 kilograms, and it can transport a payload of up to 3 kilograms. Its range is projected to be about 40 kilometers, and the top speed is around 109 kilometers per hour. The manufacturer states that the drone's resilience spans about 40 minutes. The unmanned aircraft has high-resolution electro-optical and infrared cameras, enabling the operator to identify, confirm, and direct the device toward the target. Lancet-3 is equipped with electro-optical guidance, which facilitates the control of the ammunition in the final stages of flight.

The Ukrainians have retrieved several Russian Lancet drones that were either shot down or disabled by electronic warfare (EW) systems. It is plausible that this method has provided them with crucial information about their operation, which will be utilized in constructing "Ukrainian Lancets." Nonetheless, little is known concerning their proposed specifications, except that their target range will be approximately 40 kilometers.