MOSCOW REGION, RUSSIA – JUNE 25, 2019: A ZALA Lancet-3 attack drone developed by Kalashnikov Concern on display at the Army 2019 International Military Technical Forum at Patriot Park. Marina Lystseva/TASS
The Russian military has destroyed over 50 Polish-made Krab 155 mm self-propelled howitzers using Lancet loitering munitions since the start of the special military operation in Ukraine, the ZALA Aero Group, which produces the Lancet, announced on March 21.
The Krab is a NATO-compatible self-propelled tracked gun-howitzer designed in Poland by Huta Stalowa Wola, by combining a modified South Korean K9 Thunder chassis with a British BAE Systems AS-90M Braveheart turret with a 155 mm gun produced by HSW and the Polish WB Electronics’ Topaz artillery fire control system.
Ukraine became the first country to import Krab howitzers, purchasing 54 units in the fall of 2022 for $700 million. Before this contract was concluded, Poland donated 18 howitzers of this type to Kiev forces.
The ZALA Aero Group, a subsidiary of Russia’s defense giant Kalashnikov Concern, said in a post to Telegram, that the Russian military has been actively using Lancets to destroy the Krabs detected by reconnaissance aircraft from a distance of 30-40 kilometers.
Video footage shared by the company along with the post showed multiple Krab Howitzers being completely destroyed by Lancets.
The Lance is produced in two versions, 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 loitering munition 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.
The small radar cross-section and minimal infrared signature of the electric-powered loitering munition makes it very difficult to detect and intercept.
So far, Ukrainian attempts to stop Lancet loitering munitions with air defense fire, electronic warfare or countermeasures have been mostly unsuccessful.
According to Lostarmour.info, a website that documents military losses, Lancet strikes have destroyed or damaged 430 self-propelled howitzers, 608 towed howitzers and 61 multiple rocket launch systems of Kiev forces since the start of the special military operation.
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