Russian loitering munition destroys Ukrainian boat on Dnipro River.

According to a tweet published by Ukraine Weapons Tracker on April 18, 2023, a Ukrainian Project 376 boat was destroyed by a Russian Lancet loitering munition on the Dnipro River in the city of Zaporizhzhia.
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Russian Lancet loitering munition destroying Ukrainian boat. (Picture source: Readovka)

During the war in Ukraine, the Dnipro River became a front line between Russian and Ukrainian troops. The fighting was particularly intense in the South.

About the Lancet

The ZALA Lancet, developed by ZALA Aero Group, is a versatile unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and loitering munition designed for use by the Russian Armed Forces.

It was first unveiled in June 2019 at the ARMY-2019 military expo in Moscow, as an advancement of the ZALA KYB-UAV (KUB-BLA) loitering munition. The drone is capable of carrying out reconnaissance and strike missions, with a maximum range of 40 kilometers (25 miles) and a maximum takeoff weight of up to 12 kilograms (26 pounds).

The Lancet can be armed with either high-explosive (HE) or HE-fragmentation warheads, utilizing optical-electronic guidance and a TV guidance unit to control the munition during the terminal stage of flight. Its intelligence, navigation, and communication modules enable seamless integration with other systems.

In the "air mining" role, the Lancet can be used to target enemy unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) by diving at speeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour (190 mph) to strike them mid-flight. It can be launched using a catapult launcher from both ground and sea platforms, such as the Raptor-class patrol boats.

The ZALA Lancet is powered by an electric motor, offering an environmentally-friendly and quiet propulsion system. This advanced UAV demonstrates the increasing sophistication and capabilities of modern drone technology for military applications.