Lancet loitering munitions have become one of the most recognisable examples of Russian weaponry and a relentless source of pressure on Ukrainian forces. In terms of recognisability, this X-wing drone comes second only to the Shahed UAVs, which Russia deploys daily to terrorise Ukrainian cities and communities.
It was one of the first mid-range kamikaze drones, which are commonly referred to by Ukrainian weapons engineers and soldiers as "middle-strikes". In other words, it is capable of operating at a range of tens of kilometres and striking targets deep behind enemy lines. The Lancet has also become a tool of information warfare, while regular reports of strikes on Ukrainian positions have kept the same question in focus for both the military and the public: where is the Ukrainian equivalent?
It took two years to develop a Ukrainian version of the Lancet, and the process was more complex than expected. Kyiv's engineers had to overcome a series of challenges, from developing communications systems resistant to electronic warfare (EW) and building autonomous navigation and relay systems to securing the first contracts.
Ultimately, Ukraine's market-driven defence industry has produced a wide range of Lancet equivalents: Perun, Bulava, RAM-2X, Flycat and others. These UAVs now operate at ranges of tens of kilometres and have become a key part of Ukraine's ongoing mid-range drone campaign, enabling its defence forces to strike Russian air defence systems and other critical assets deep behind enemy lines.
Ukrainska Pravda has spoken with manufacturers, military personnel and Brave1, a Ukrainian defence-tech cluster, to find out where Ukraine's Lancet is and what role it plays on the battlefield today.
Izdeliye-51
Both Ukraine and Russia began developing loitering munitions for their militaries at roughly the same time. In 2019, Ukraine unveiled the ST-35 Hrim drone, manufactured by Atlon Avia. In Russia, it was the Izdeliye-51, eventually known to the public as the Lancet.
The drones shared similar characteristics on paper and were built with X-shaped wings to achieve high manoeuvrability and more effective targeting. They could remain airborne (loiter) over target areas for long periods, waiting for the command to strike, which led to them being dubbed loitering munitions.
Yet despite sharing the same concept, the Hrim never made it to the battlefield, unlike its Russian counterpart.
The Lancet gained fame because it appeared at just the right moment for Russia. Back then, technology that enabled operators to see targets at the moment of impact was still relatively rare. The author of the Telegram channel Potuzhnyi Informator, which analyses drone operations on the battlefield, told Ukrainska Pravda: "They are dangerous, but their fame came precisely because it let you see the strike as it happened. We had a more effective weapon at the time – HIMARS. And we had far more of them."
Since entering the battlefield in summer 2022, the Lancet has been a persistent challenge to Ukrainian defence forces. Russian OSINT communities claim that these drones have carried out around 4,000 strikes to date.
Lancets primarily target artillery, radars, antennas and logistics, although they also strike tanks and even naval drones in some cases. Their distinctive feature is the ability to function in tandem with the Zala Z-16/20 reconnaissance drone, which enables strikes up to 40 km behind enemy lines. The reconnaissance drone relays the signal, ensuring communication and guiding the drone to its target.
To counter the Lancets, the Ukrainian military has been deploying decoys, camouflage, protective nets, EW systems and drone detectors on a large scale. No single measure is enough on its own, but combined, they help reduce the damage.
But the Lancet did not stand still. The Russians quickly recognised the potential of its basic design and, in 2023, introduced an updated version – the Izdeliye-51 – now the primary model.
The rear wings were made smaller than the front ones, and communications, antennas and battery capacity were improved. The Izdeliye-51 also features a thermal imaging camera and a LiDAR sensor, enabling it to detonate at a distance from the target and bypass protective nets.
The warhead also evolved. While the main munition was once a 3 kg KZ-6 warhead, there are now at least 15 variants, weighing up to 5 kg. An evasion system was also integrated to counter interceptor drones.
The changes have significantly extended the Lancet's operational range. Paired with relay drones, the Izdeliye-51 can fly up to 100 km – and sometimes further.
Where is Ukraine's Lancet?
At the outset of the full-scale war, Ukraine found itself without loitering munitions comparable to those already in Russia's arsenal. The first such systems arrived through international aid – the US Switchblade 300/600 and the Polish Warmate – and were rapidly integrated into units from the Special Operations Forces, Defence Intelligence of Ukraine and the Security Service of Ukraine.
A key drawback of the Switchblade 300 drones was their small warhead, weighing up to 1 kg, coupled with poor manoeuvrability. Supplies of these munitions were also tightly constrained.
As Russia continued to deploy Lancets across Ukrainian territory, a recurring question emerged: "Where is the Ukrainian equivalent?"
Several companies set out to develop a Ukrainian Lancet but ran into numerous challenges. For a long time, the idea of building a comparable mid-range drone remained in the background, as the HIMARS multiple-launch rocket system served as the primary tool for striking targets behind enemy lines. Over time, however, Russian electronic warfare (EW) began to erode HIMARS effectiveness and shortages of missiles grew more pronounced.
Ukrainian engineers were tasked with developing a drone capable of penetrating more than 30 km into Russia's rear and evading layered air defence and EW. These operations require operators to fly at low altitudes, which increases the risk of signal loss.
"We had two tasks," a Ukrainian manufacturer of mid-range drones told Ukrainska Pravda. "The first was to ensure stable communication for the strike drone until the moment of impact under EW jamming. The second was to develop a wing capable of relaying the control signal and recording the drone's strike. In other words, we needed the repeater to maintain stable coverage and avoid signal loss due to changes in terrain, obstacles or electronic warfare."
The UAV needed not only to hit its target but also be affordable and suitable for mass production.
"We had to review and rework many solutions several times," the press service for Deviro, the developer of the Bulava mid-range drone, told Ukrainska Pravda.
The Ukrainian X-wing drone prototypes – the RAM-2X and the Bulava – were publicly unveiled in 2024 and saw their initial combat use that same year. Widespread deployment in the military, however, only began towards the end of 2025.
Deviro, the manufacturer of the Bulava, was among the companies affected by a lack of orders in early 2025. The company had built up a stock of new drones, which it decided to transfer free of charge to specialised units for crew training.
"In 2026, the situation is different. We have secured funding from a European partner, and we are now working more directly with military units," Deviro explains.
The drones themselves are also evolving as companies work to improve range and communication reliability, notably through the use of Starlink satellite terminals. Autonomous navigation modules are also being introduced to reduce reliance on communication during flight to the target. Meanwhile, automatic guidance systems based on machine vision are being added to account for potential signal loss on the final stretch to the target. The range of warheads for different missions is also expanding.
Older X-wing drone variants could destroy targets at ranges of up to 50 km, but updated versions now reach 100 km and beyond. The 422nd Unmanned Systems Regiment even managed to strike a Russian Buk-M1 air defence system at a distance of more than 120 km from the front line.
"The next step is the full automation of the detection-identification-strike cycle with minimal operator involvement," a manufacturer says.
The Ukrainian military's scalpel
The 422nd Unmanned Systems Regiment and the 423rd Unmanned Systems Battalion were among the units that received Bulava drones from Deviro for testing.
"These drones are, in essence, a surgical instrument. We all know how much damage the enemy's Lancets have caused us. And this is our response," says Mykola Kolesnyk, Commander of the 422nd Unmanned Systems Regiment.
The Bulava and RAM-2X drones striking Russian forces. Video: 422nd Unmanned Systems Regiment
At first, these surgical instruments were not broadly available to regular, non-specialised units. Funding for their use was mainly secured thanks to commanders who were willing to take responsibility for the effective deployment of this expensive asset.
The use of this type of Ukrainian drone has now been publicly observed across more than a dozen units. Supplies are coming through multiple channels, notably via funding from the Drone Line initiative, established to scale up unmanned systems units.
Ukrainian charitable foundations, particularly Come Back Alive, are also acquiring drones of this class, which once again points to the demand for these systems and their potential.
There are, however, challenges. The main issue is cost: a single drone of this type can run into tens of thousands of dollars, a heavy burden for conventional units, especially as it cannot be returned to base.
The 423rd Battalion notes that this is precisely why the deployment of such drones demands careful planning: route calculations, manoeuvre planning, selection of backup targets and determination of flight duration. Experienced crews with advanced UAV piloting skills are tasked with these missions.
A Russian Osa air defence system being destroyed. Video: 423rd Unmanned Systems Battalion
That said, the operation itself is relatively straightforward, as a large share of functions, particularly control, is automated. However, some subtleties still directly affect the outcome. Basic training takes roughly a month, after which experience is built in combat.
"It's just like sniping: the more shots you fire, the more accurate you become," a manufacturer says.
Currently, X-wing drones are chiefly used against Russian air defence systems, multiple-launch rocket systems and self-propelled artillery. In some cases, targets also include fuel lorries and Mesh antennas, used by Russian forces to guide their mid-range strikes.
Although the equipment comes at a relatively high cost and requires specific conditions to operate, the military personnel interviewed by Ukrainska Pravda emphasise its strong effectiveness.
Oleksandr "Serzh Marko" Karpiuk, a serviceman from the Inquisition unit – Ukraine's 2nd Unmanned Systems Battalion at the 59th Separate Assault Brigade – writes on Facebook: "Our drones feature target acquisition via thermal imaging and long-range ground-to-air communication. Lancet drones haven't been capable of this for a long time, even though they appeared earlier. It has been some time since Russian videos have shown long-range strikes by reconnaissance and strike systems using long-range radio communication against high-end air defence systems."
The effectiveness of Russia's Lancets is being eroded by Ukrainian countermeasures. The defence cluster Brave1 says this is largely due to changing battlefield conditions, as Ukrainian forces step up the use of interceptor drones to bring down both reconnaissance UAVs and Lancets.
Demand for interceptor drones within Ukraine's defence forces is extremely high, according to Brave1. Military personnel interviewed by Ukrainska Pravda echo this view, adding that these assets should not be limited to elite units, but extended to regular ones where experience and capability allow.
The Bulava and RAM-2X drones striking their targets. Video: Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces
"There are enough seasoned experts, those who have used the Shark and the Leleka in combat. They need to be given middle-strikes rather than Mavics," says Kolesnyk.
Despite growing demand, the widespread deployment of X-wing drones is still limited by high unit costs and challenges in scaling up production. The manufacturers hope this will change as orders rise, saying that production facilities are ready to handle larger volumes.
Kolesnyk concludes: "The experience being accumulated by the Unmanned Systems Forces, the Special Operations Forces and the Security Service of Ukraine should be scaled up across the army as quickly as possible. The defence forces have sufficient crews to perform these tasks – they only require the necessary conditions and resources. I am confident that the Unmanned Systems Forces will take the lead in spreading this experience, particularly through the middle-strike coordination centre."
Illia Volynskyi
Translated by Artem Yakymyshyn
Edited by Susan McDonald