Russian unveils Lancet-E loitering munitions at Army 2024

Rosoboronexport, a subsidiary of Russia’s Rostec State Corporation, has made a significant move in the global defense market by unveiling the Lancet-E system at the Army 2024 International Military-Technical Forum. This export version of the combat-proven Lancet loitering munition system marks the company’s entry into the increasingly important unmanned weapons sector.

The Lancet-E system is a comprehensive package designed for modern warfare scenarios. It comprises the Z-16-E reconnaissance drone and two distinct kamikaze drones, referred to as Item 51-E and Item 52-E. These loitering munitions offer varying capabilities in terms of range and maximum takeoff weight, providing flexibility for different mission profiles.

Alexander Mikheev, Director General of Rosoboronexport, highlighted the system’s combat effectiveness and its potential in the international market. The Lancet-E has demonstrated remarkable capabilities in engaging a wide range of targets, from heavily armored vehicles to fortified positions and surface targets. This battlefield prowess has generated significant interest, with Rosoboronexport estimating a potential demand for over 1,000 systems globally.

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The company’s strategy involves a phased approach to international sales. Rosoboronexport plans to prioritize fulfilling the needs of the Russian Armed Forces before leveraging available production capacities for export. This approach ensures domestic requirements are met while positioning the company to capitalize on international opportunities.

In addition to direct sales, Rosoboronexport is offering innovative cooperation models to potential partners. These include license production and joint manufacturing arrangements within the framework of technology partnerships. Such collaborations could provide significant benefits to purchasing countries, including technology transfer and local industrial development.

The Lancet-E is not Rosoboronexport’s sole offering in the unmanned systems domain. The company is actively marketing a range of other advanced unmanned platforms. These include the Kub-E loitering munition, developed by the renowned Kalashnikov Group, and a series of reconnaissance and strike UAVs such as the Orlan-10E, Orlan-30, and Orion-E.

The introduction of the Lancet-E system comes at a time when loitering munitions are gaining prominence in modern conflicts. The original Lancet has been noted as one of Russia’s most effective weapons in the ongoing Russo-Ukraine conflict, demonstrating the critical role these systems can play in contemporary warfare.

The unveiling of the Lancet-E at Army 2024 marks the beginning of Rosoboronexport’s global marketing campaign for this advanced weapon system. It reflects the growing importance of unmanned and autonomous systems in military operations and Russia’s efforts to maintain a competitive edge in the international defense market.

As militaries worldwide seek to enhance their capabilities with advanced unmanned systems, the Lancet-E and similar platforms are likely to attract significant attention. The system’s combat-proven status, combined with Rosoboronexport’s flexible cooperation models, positions it as a formidable contender in the global loitering munition market.

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