A Lancet-3 loitering munition, screen grab from Russia-24 report.
The Russian military is successfully hunting down the remaining air defenses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) with Lancet loitering munitions.
On October 14, a video showing a Lancet loitering munition destroying a Soviet-made 9K33 Osa short-range air defense system of the AFU surfaced online. The loitering munition hit the system on the move. The location of the strike was not revealed.
Later on October 15, the RIA Novosti released footage documenting an attack with a Lancet loitering munition on a Soviet-made S-300PS long-range air-defense system of the AFU in Zaporizhzhia region.
An attempt to shot down the Lancet with a man-portable air-defense system failed. The loitering munition went on to destroy two transporter erector launchers (TELs), of the 5P85D or the 5P85S type, and possibly damag a third TEL along with a 5N63S fire control radar that was installed on 40V6M masts.
The Lancet, which was developed by the ZALA Aero Group, is equipped with an elector-optical system that allows it to detect, track and lock on static and moving targets.
The two air-defense systems were apparently targeted with an improved version of the Lancet-3 that features a more aerodynamic design with extended X-shaped wings. This version has a longer range and endurance than the original Lancet-3, which has a range of 40 kilometers and an endurance of up to 40 minutes only.
The small radar cross-section and minimal infrared signature of loitering munitions like the Lancet make them hard to detect and intercept.
The Russian military has been using the Lancet and several other types of loitering munitions against the AFU since the beginning of its special operation in Ukraine. In the last few weeks, the use of these munitions was significantly expanded.
