Lancet, Shahed: Russia's drone arsenal grows with Iran’s help

On July 16, the Russian military for the first time announced a new version of the Lancet loitering munition, which is actively used in the war in Ukraine.

The Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is equipped with a folding wing and is placed in a transport and launch container. In addition, the chief designer of the manufacturing company Zala Aero Group, Alexander Zakharov, indicated that there are plans to launch the production of this loitering munition abroad.

This is happening against the backdrop of numerous reports of Moscow purchasing Iranian UAVs for conducting high-intensity military operations in Ukraine due to a shortage of missile weapons. In addition, a lot of evidence has recently appeared that the process of localising the production of Iranian kamikaze drones is underway in Russia.

"Lancet" for export, "Geranium" for import?

The "Lancet" kamikaze drone saw significant use by Russian troops in Ukraine in late 2022. Known for its ability to stay airborne for extended periods, it tracks targets before executing a rapid and precise attack by diving at them. Russian commentators have likened its accuracy to that of a surgical instrument, hence the name "Lancet."

The Lancet drone has Russian origins, but the Russian Armed Forces deploy it alongside Geran kamikaze drones, which are disguised as Russian Iranian Shahed-131/136 drones. The Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine, led by Kirill Budanov, reportedly authorised a military operation in Iran to target the production facilities of these drones, which were being supplied to Russia.

At the same time, the Russian side is setting up its own assembly of Iranian Shahed drones.

According to experts, these loitering munitions are a cheap alternative to high-precision missile weapons: ground-, sea-, and air-based

The Biden administration claims that a large workshop for the production of drones from Iranian parts has been built in Tatarstan in the Alabuga special economic zone. This information is confirmed by numerous leaks in both Western and Russian-language media.

Both types

Military expert Yuri Lyamin provides insights into the plans to organize the production of Lancet drones in foreign countries. This move is seen in the context of Russia's acquisition and development of significant capacities for assembling Iranian Shahed drones within its own borders.

“The Lancet and Shahed-131\136 are designed to perform various tasks, firstly, Lancets are designed to destroy military equipment at a distance of no more than a few tens of kilometers from the front line”.

“Therefore, all of them are equipped with low-noise electric motors, small cameras for precise guidance at the finish line of the flight, and carry a warhead weighing up to several kilograms,” says Lyamin.

“This type of weapon is suitable for destroying or damaging artillery pieces, armored vehicles, etc,” Lyamin adds.

“In turn, the Shahed-131 and -136 were developed in Iran for massive strikes against targets deep in the rear,” the expert says.

“Such UAVs are used to strike at larger objects: military enterprises, warehouses, fuel storage facilities, and various infrastructure facilities. Therefore, they have a huge range, in the case of Shahed-136 – up to 2,500 kilometers, and a much more powerful warhead – up to 50 kilograms,” he explains.

According to Lyamin, the Iranian Shahed-131 and -136 drones can be called a much cheaper and mass analogue of cruise missiles, which are also less visible to air defense.

"Alabuga" and the prospect of export

Russia's decision to increase the production of Iranian drones, specifically the Shahed model, is influenced by the activity of Ukraine's air defense systems. The Russian military believes that using these Iranian drones is a cost-effective approach to counter Ukraine's air defenses and avoid deploying expensive cruise missiles. The strategy aims to overwhelm Ukraine's air defense capabilities. While there are plans for potential future production lines abroad, Russia is currently focusing on organizing assembly lines for Iranian kamikaze drones domestically.

“Indicating the possible launch of production abroad, the chief designer of the Lancet manufacturer immediately noted that the priority is to provide for the Russian army,” the expert points out.

“It can take years from discussion to implementation,” concludes Lyamin.

“At the same time, it should be borne in mind that the organization of licensed production in a third country still diverts less of its own production resources than net exports, even if the supply of some components continues.”