The Lancet UAV is continuously improved by Russia, becoming one of the most fearsome weapons for the Ukrainian army as no countermeasures have been found.
Images released by Russian soldiers on November 9 show the Lancet suicide drone upgraded with a LIDAR system, capable of measuring the exact distance to the target to remotely activate the warhead.
A video posted the same day shows a Lancet using an Explosive Penetrator (EFP) warhead detonated from a distance of several meters to disable the steel mesh protecting a Ukrainian M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle. This Lancet innovation makes the Ukrainian protection of tanks and armored vehicles with steel mesh or cage armor less effective.
Lancet UAV attacks Ukrainian Bradley vehicle in video released on November 9. Video: Telegram/RVvoenkor
Western military experts say this is one of many improvements that Russia has applied to the Lancet UAV in real combat, in order to maintain the power of the weapon that is considered a constant nightmare for the Ukrainian army on the battlefield.
"The attack on the MiG-29 fighter at Dolgintsevo base, more than 70 km from the front line, shows that the Lancet is increasingly powerful, while Ukraine is struggling to find countermeasures and protect its invaluable weapons," commentator Francis Farrell wrote in the Kyiv Independent .
Ukrainian officials have also repeatedly acknowledged the danger posed by the Lancet UAV.
In an article about technological challenges on the battlefield published on November 1, Ukrainian military commander Valeri Zaluzhny mentioned the Lancet many times and emphasized that this is a weapon that is "very difficult to deal with".
The Lancet UAV was developed by Zala Aero, a subsidiary of the Russian Kalashnikov Concern, based on the KUB-BLA cruise missile and launched in 2019. It fills an important gap between light explosive-carrying drones and long-range suicide UAVs like the Geran-2, meeting the need for a medium-range weapon specializing in high-precision strikes and tactical-operational counter-battery.
The tactics for using Lancets are simple. Russian forces often use reconnaissance UAVs such as the Orlan-10 and SuperCam to find targets, then mark the location for deploying Lancets.
The first Lancet models could automatically dive to a target marked by the operator, or be controlled manually to select the most vulnerable position of the target. The latest Lancet version deployed in Ukraine has the added ability to automatically detect and track targets, without instructions from the control crew.
Alexander Zakharov, chief designer of Zala Aero, said in July that the company is developing the Lancet series equipped with target selection algorithms and combat coordination capabilities, applying the doctrine of coordinated attack using UAV swarms.
"The Lancet can detect equipment from a very long distance, even when we hide and camouflage them among the trees, and then swoop down like a falcon," said an air defense officer nicknamed Hollywood of the 47th Independent Mechanized Brigade of Ukraine.
Lancet UAV deployed by Russian forces in the operation in Ukraine. Photo: RIA Novosti
The high combat effectiveness has prompted Russia to expand the Lancet production line. Russian state television channel Rossiya-1 reported in July that production of this UAV line has increased more than 50 times since the outbreak of hostilities. Lancet hardware and software are also constantly upgraded, increasing their flight range and accuracy.
The Ukrainian military is having to resort to a variety of measures to protect its valuable equipment from the Lancet threat, although this does not always work.
The Lancet’s small size, composite construction, and low infrared signature make it difficult to detect by radar and air defense systems. Its low cost and large numbers make Ukrainian soldiers reluctant to fire expensive anti-aircraft missiles to intercept it.
The Ukrainian military now relies heavily on anti-aircraft batteries armed with Soviet-era ZU-23 guns to counter the Lancet. They have occasionally reported shooting down a Lancet UAV, but that is usually due to luck. "Our brigade has had cases where a Kalashnikov was used to destroy a Lancet, but that is extremely rare," Hollywood admitted.
Inside Russia's Lancet suicide UAV factory. Video: Rossiya-1
Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced a crowdfunding campaign on November 3, aiming to raise $4.2 million to build a jamming system that can counter the Lancet tactic. "The system can disable Orlans from a distance of 20 kilometers, preventing them from marking targets for the Lancet," he said.
When remote deterrence failed, Ukrainian soldiers came up with a way to attach steel mesh to protect their equipment from Lancet strikes. This was considered a primitive but highly effective measure.
Militarnyi , the largest military news portal in Ukraine, said that old Russian suicide UAVs had repeatedly gotten caught in steel nets when attacking Ukrainian tanks and armored vehicles and could not activate their impact warheads to destroy the target.
However, the appearance of the Lancet model using LIDAR sensors and EFP warheads seems to have also neutralized this option.
"Russia has developed a specialized weapon to meet specific operational requirements. The Lancet is highly effective and is constantly being improved, which is why the Ukrainian military has to openly admit that it is a very dangerous weapon," said Samuel Bendett, an expert on robotics and UAVs.
Vu Anh (According to Kyiv Independent )
Source link
Comment (0)