ZALA Lancet attack drone. © Marina Lystseva/TASS
Russia’s Rubikon advanced unmanned technology center released on August 3 video footage showing a Lancet loitering munition attacking a Ukrainian P-18 Malachite surveillance radar in the Kharkiv direction from more than 100 kilometers away.
“Over the night of August 2 and 3, the Aerospace Forces reconnaissance detected a mobile P-18 Malachite radar station mounted on a KRAZ truck chassis near the settlement of Chervonoe, 55 kilometers away from the frontline,” Rubikon said in a post on Telegram accompanying the footage, noting that “the target was destroyed at a distance of 101 kilometers from the takeoff point.”
The Malachite is a Ukrainian upgraded version of the original Soviet P-18 VHF surveillance radar, with a reported range of 400 kilometers and the ability to tack up to 25 aerial targets at the same time. Such long-range radars are used to provide early warning to Ukrainian air defenses.
The Lancet was developed by the ZALA Aero Group, a subsidiary of Russia’s defense giant Kalashnikov Concern. The company produces two versions of the loitering munition, the Izdeliye-52 with an endurance of 30 minutes and a one-kilogram warhead and the larger Izdeliye-51 that has an endurance of 40 minutes and is armed with a warhead weighing three kilograms.
The strike on the Ukrainian radar indicates that the larger version of the Lancet had received an upgrade to extend its range. The loitering munition may have been equipped with a more efficient electric engine, or equipped with a larger powerpack.
The Lancet flies towards the designated area with a GLONASS-aided inertial navigation system. After arriving in the area, the operator utilizes an onboard electro-optical system via a two-way data-link to detect, track and lock on the target. A laser-ranging system then controls the detonation of the warhead.
So far, Ukrainian attempts to stop Lancet loitering munitions with air defense fire, electronic warfare or counter-measures have been mostly unsuccessful.
According to Lostarmour.info, a website that documents military losses, Lancet strikes have destroyed or damaged 165 radar and electronic warfare, intelligence and communication systems of Kiev forces since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine more than three years ago.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence
NOW hosted at southfront.press
Previously, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.org.
The .org domain name had been blocked by the US (NATO) (https://southfront.press/southfront-org-blocked-by-u-s-controlled-global-internet-supervisor/) globally, outlawed and without any explanation
Back before that, from 2013 to 2015, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.com
