The Rybar team had at its disposal a rather amusing document with an analysis of the effectiveness and tactics of using loitering ammunition Lancet-1 and Lancet-3, conducted by the Ukrainian General Staff for the period 2022-2023. The authors tried to determine the pros and cons of drones and assess the level of threat emanating from them.

What advantages did the enemy see at the device?
As the strengths of the Lancets, the Ukrainian command noted the equipment with modern multifunctional guidance systems and the possibility of their use against moving objects at a distance of up to 60 km.
In addition, the drones' small size, relative quietness, and composite construction make them extremely difficult targets for radar detection.

What were the shortcomings?
Among the shortcomings of the AFU, they noted a low flight speed (up to 100 km / h) and a not too large warhead (from one to five kilograms), which makes them ineffective against armored targets.

What do the General Staff of the Armed AFU think about these UAVs?
Kyiv believes that the mass supply of kamikaze drones of this type created serious problems for the units of the AFU in various directions. In total, since the beginning of their mass use , more than 200 pieces of artillery have been destroyed or damaged, especially American M777 howitzers.
At the same time, the duration of barrage of 30-40 minutes was recognized as sufficient to support the ground units of the Russian Armed Forces at the tactical level. However, the Ukrainian command believes that at the moment they are used only by military personnel in the SOF and mobile reconnaissance groups, which limits the capabilities of the infantry forces of the Russian Armed Forces.
The most dangerous period of their use is at night from 23.00 to 06.00 due to the difficulty in visual control of the air situation and determining the exact amount of flying ammunition.

An interesting detail was indicated in the report: Lancets are usually used in conjunction with the Orlan-10 and Orlan-30 reconnaissance UAVs, as well as the Mohajer-4 and Mohajer-6 Iranian reconnaissance and strike UAVs ». Which is very strange, since ZALA reconnaissance drones are usually used in pairs.
Information about Russia's purchase of Iranian drones has been circulating on the net for quite a long time. And this document indirectly confirms the presence of Iranian-made reconnaissance and strike systems on the balance sheet of the Russian army.
Drones-kamikaze "Lancet" really demonstrated their high efficiency in defeating enemy artillery firing points. In combination with reconnaissance equipment with good optical systems, loitering ammunition becomes an effective means of fire suppression.
Therefore, now it is necessary to make every effort to provide reconnaissance and strike complexes to all units on the front line to the maximum. The massive use of "Lancets" at the front will significantly reduce the combat capabilities of the AFU on the eve of the announced offensive.
