Lancet mutates to Izdelie 53, it’s made in a mall, production tripled
Reports from Russian and Ukrainian media indicate that Russia has tripled the production of its Lancet kamikaze drones. The Lancet drone has also transitioned into a new development phase, becoming the Izdelie 53.
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The upgraded Lancet will no longer operate solo but will fly in swarms. These drones will be launched from custom-built launchers and will operate based on a ‘Swarm of Drones’ principle. Essentially, when one drone identifies armored vehicles or their accumulation, it relays this information to the rest of the swarm, initiating a coordinated attack on the targets.
This innovative product was showcased on national television, Rossiya 1. The special report commenced with a succinct introduction of the current Lancet model, described by the presenter as a “stealthy, low-flying drone capable of hitting enemy targets with surgical precision.”
A mall into drone factory
Footage of warehouses housing hundreds of Lancet-2 drones followed. The broadcast showed successful hits by the Russian drone during the “special military operation” in Ukraine. A single-launcher Lancet drone was featured, with the interviewee noting that such drones are designed for long-range special operations.
The reporter’s narrative about visiting a brand-new drone production facility was particularly striking. He revealed that the facility, a shopping center just two months ago, was transformed into an ultra-modern enterprise by the Russian state within eight weeks. The footage shows pristine rooms outfitted with state-of-the-art CNC machines, lathes, welding robots, laser machines, and more.
The chief designer of the drones, Alexander Zakharov, revealed that the funds for this transformation and subsequent production were sourced from the state budget. He guided viewers around a warehouse filled with ready-to-deploy Lancet drones, stating, “There are no financial issues; it’s our money, state money.”
However, this new plant isn’t only producing Lancet drones. It’s also manufacturing drones for surveying and safeguarding Russia’s vast gas fields. Such footage was shared by Rossiya 1 TV, which also showcased the production of another familiar drone from the Ukraine conflict, the Geren-2 – a replica of the Iranian Shahed 136.
The plant also houses a training center for drone pilots. While interviewees’ faces remain concealed, their training in simulated mission environments via computers is shown.
The new Lancet
The most intriguing part follows – the presentation of the new Lancet. The host describes it as “utterly unique and highly confidential”. He hints at its capabilities, saying, “Imagine multiple launchers on the battlefield simultaneously attacking several targets.”
The launcher, which houses four Lancets, will no longer use a catapult for launching. These drones are autonomous, share information, and perform mapping en route to their targets.
The drone’s design is radically different; it no longer has a cruciform wing format but adopts a circular one at 45 degrees. They operate in swarms, and crucially, if one drone identifies a target, it swiftly communicates this to the rest of the swarm, enabling a coordinated attack. If multiple targets are identified, all marked targets are attacked. Zakharov revealed to the Rossiya 1 journalist that “intercepting them is virtually impossible. They are more effective than the Lancet-2”.
Zakharov clarified that the Lancet doesn’t utilize artificial intelligence but operates based on mathematical algorithms that function in fractions of a second. This statement was in response to a Forbes publication suggesting that the Lancet operates on artificial intelligence. Rossiya 1 TV featured the Forbes article, stating that since the war’s conclusion, remnants of the Lancet have been collected by Ukrainians and Western proxies to scrutinize Ukraine’s most successful drone.
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