Drone warfare has been taken to an unprecedented scale from the outset of the Russian special military operation.
The conflict has prompted the Russian arms manufacturers to focus on improving and producing more Russian-made unmanned vehicles, according to Yury Knutov, military historian and political commentator.
"The production of drones has begun in our country," Knutov told Sputnik. "If earlier some [private] initiative groups, devotees mainly purchased drones in China, redesigned them and sent them to the front, now the production of our own drones has been established."
"They are produced by Almaz-Antey corporation, the JSC Kalashnikov Concern, the ZALA Company – which produces the Lancet – and a number of other companies," the commentator added.
A wide range of drones, from consumer quadcopters to top-of-the-range Lancets, are being used for assault, reconnaissance, and psychological operations. But the Lancet loitering munition is one of a kind, Knutov said.
"It is second to none due to the fact that it is made of composite materials and has a special aerodynamic shape of two X-shaped wings, capable of maneuvering like a bird," explained the military historian. "It hits armored vehicles with high accuracy, striking fear into the military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine."
The smart kamikaze drone Lancet "loiters" around a target area while in search mode and then strikes it like a guided air-to-surface missile — destroying itself in the process. Designed by ZALA Aero, one of the Kalashnikov Group's companies, drone boasts high precision while its double cruciform wings bolster both its maneuverability and stability in nosedive mode.
The Lancet recently received a major upgrade, reportedly with automatic guidance systems further increasing the weapons’ deadliness. This spring and summer the loitering munitions came to international attention due to its successful use against Ukrainian military equipment ranging from armored vehicles to artillery and naval gunboats.