Ukraine has announced plans to start mass production of loitering munitions, which will look, for all intents and purposes, like a clone of the Lancet kamikaze drone.
According to Militarnyi news agency, citing Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov, the new combat drone is capable of striking targets up to 40 kilometers away.
“At the moment … there are several companies, and we are testing products,” stated Mykhailo Fedorov.
According to him, the first contracts are a matter of weeks, with deployment to the frontline shortly thereafter.
“There are already combat applications, but they are still few. It is difficult to name specific dates, but within two months, information will start appearing in Russian public sources – about their tanks burning,” added Fedorov.
Russian Lancet loitering munitions, commonly referred to as kamikaze drones, have proven to be impactful in the war by enabling Russian forces to target Ukrainian high-tech and expensive weapon systems such as radars or long-range artillery.
Lancet kamikaze drones are unmanned aerial systems designed to crash into their targets, exploding upon impact. They are particularly effective against stationary targets.