The Ukrainian counteroffensive in the south has largely failed. An important reason for this is the Lancet combat drone developed by the Russian Kalashnikov Group. Russia uses them to devastating effect – and has even more threatening plans.
The Lancet drone, recognizable by its x-shaped wings, has become a nuisance to Ukrainian troops on the front lines.
Marina Lystseva / Tass / Keystone
At the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Kremlin troops embarrassed themselves in many ways: tank columns drove straight into Ukrainian ambushes, trucks stalled without fuel, anti-aircraft defenses revealed embarrassing gaps, and even generals were bugged because they lacked secure communications equipment. But Russia’s armed forces have clearly learned something new. The often ridiculed image of an army that relies on ancient Soviet technology and assault attacks with “cannon fodder” soldiers is all too one-sided.
An example of Russia’s ability to innovate is the Lancet kamikaze drones. Unlike the Shahed long-range drones imported from Iran, which Russia uses to attack the Ukrainian energy infrastructure, the Lancet is a Russian development. Moscow has already used hundreds of them this year, inflicting heavy losses on the Ukrainian military. Recently, Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Valery Salushni even highlighted the Lancet drones as a problem in a policy article.
Crash and explosion
Russian channels publish new videos almost daily of Ukrainian artillery pieces, radars and even battle tanks falling victim to an exploding lancet. Just as Ukrainian patriots spread images of Russian losses on social networks, supporters of the war in Russia rejoice in their own successes.
The video below contains a compilation of five such attacks in November. Some of these sequences first show the perspective of the kamikaze drone racing towards its target, and then the footage of the event from a surveillance drone flying higher up. It is clearly visible how the Lancet drones crash into the target at high speed and explode in the process. However, Russian sources have an interest in only showing successful attacks. Nevertheless, their number is very high, which partially paralyzes Ukrainian operations.
Lancet drones hit camouflaged artillery pieces, an anti-aircraft shelter, a main battle vehicle and a Ukrainian armored personnel carrier.
The brilliance of this Russian development lies not least in its simplicity. According to Russian information, the production of the Lancet drones – the word corresponds to the German “lancet”, a lancing device for medical use – only costs three million rubles or the equivalent of 30,000 francs. If it succeeds in destroying Western military equipment worth hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars, the track record is clear.
The Lanzet-3 model, which is widely used and is easily recognizable by its two x-shaped pairs of wings, was first presented at an arms trade fair in 2019, but was only used in large numbers this year. It weighs only 12 kilograms and can carry a 3 to 5 kilogram warhead. With its electric motor, the drone has a range of 40 kilometers and a maximum speed of 300 kilometers per hour when diving towards the target. At its tip it has optical sensors that are used for navigation and target detection. Analysis of debris has shown that this Russian product contains many Western components, including microchips from Switzerland.
The Lancet closes an important gap for Russia’s military between the larger Shahed drones, which are designed for long-range missions, and low-cost drones such as DJI quadcopters, which can only fly a few kilometers and carry fewer explosives. The Lancet drones are particularly useful for Russia’s military because they partially compensate for Russia’s artillery disadvantage. Thanks to Western supplies, Ukrainian artillery has greater range and greater precision. When it comes to fighting Ukrainian positions, known as counter-battery fire, Russian artillery tends to be inferior. Kamikaze drones provide a solution: They enable the Russians to systematically eliminate enemy artillery.
The Lancet is usually used in combination with a reconnaissance drone, for example an Orlan-10, another Russian development. If the reconnaissance drone has discovered a Ukrainian target, a lancet is sent to attack. The launch takes place with a catapult.
The Ukrainians have not yet found any good recipes against these weapons. Since the small flying objects are not detected by radar, the attacks usually come as a surprise. Aside from better camouflage, workarounds include covering one’s own military equipment with mesh screens and metal cages. If the drones get stuck there, their explosive effect is reduced. According to Ukrainian reports, the small explosive device does not always cause irreparable damage.
An unexploded Lancet drone caught in the protective net of a Ukrainian self-propelled howitzer.
Ukrainian Armed Forces / Reuters
But for the Ukrainian troops near the front, the enemy kamikaze drones remain a real nuisance. The Russian military analysis portal “Lost Armor” evaluated 813 videos of Lancet attacks by the end of November. Accordingly, in 250 cases there was destruction of the military target and in another 438 cases there was damage to the military target. In around half of the cases these were artillery weapons, almost one in four were armored vehicles, and in rarer cases anti-aircraft positions and radar systems were also targeted.
They caused a particular stir two attacks in early autumn to a Ukrainian air force base far behind the front. Two fighter aircraft suffered severe damage.
A MiG-29 fighter jet in the sights of a Lancet drone, shortly before its impact.
Because this base is 65 kilometers from the nearest location under Russian control, observers assume that the Lancet drones will be further developed to enable greater ranges. Accordingly, Ukrainian concern is growing.
Production is boosted
The Ukrainian General Staff’s assessment from the beginning of July that Russia had already used up most of its Lancet drones and only had 50 left has proven to be wrong. That month and in August, Russian kamikaze operations reached a peak with 260 video-documented attacks, paralleling the peak of the Ukrainian counteroffensive, which subsequently petered out. But the Lancet attacks also increased in November, with 87 missions recorded.
The number of lancet attacks has increased significantly this year
Videos of operations since July 2022
President Putin has ordered an expansion of drone production and in September visited the Lancet factory of the defense company Zala Aero in the city of Izhevsk in the Ural region on one of his rare trips.
Zala Aero belongs to the state-affiliated Kalashnikov Group, which is named after the developer of the world‘s most famous assault rifle. History now seems to be repeating itself: like the legendary Mikhail Kalashnikov, the chief manager behind the Lancet development, Alexander Sakharov, is now being celebrated as a hero in Russia. Sakharov led for one this summer State television report through its production halls. These are equipped with Japanese and South Korean Manufacturing plants – the sanctions against Russia’s defense industry do not seem to be having an effect. In order to expand production, the company also took over the premises of a disused department store.
Sakharov’s fame is not undeserved. Ukraine has not developed a comparable drone, and the Switchblade 600 kamikaze drones received from the United States have not lived up to high expectations. It is clear that drones like the Lancet will significantly change warfare. The race for leading technology has only just begun. Ukraine is experimenting with drones that are even cheaper and can therefore be produced in larger quantities.
For their part, Sakharov and Zala Aero have already announced the next quantum leap: the development of a new generation of Lancet drones called “Product 53”. You should in swarms be deployable, communicate with each other and be able to grasp the military objective independently – a horror scenario that is likely to cause sleepless nights for some Western military planners.
For now, just one plan: A swarm of kamikaze drones operate together and autonomously identify enemy targets on the ground.