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Russia ZALA Aero Group
Lancet-3
A compact X-wing loitering munition that has become one of the most widely used Russian precision strike drones in the war in Ukraine, employed against armored vehicles, artillery and other high-value targets. Publicly cited cost and production figures are commonly-cited estimates.
In service since 2019 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
110
km/h
40
km range
5,000
m ceiling
💲 ≈ $35,000 — Commonly-cited public estimate; disputed and unverified
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Russian state channel
Rosoboronexport monopoly; Western sanctions exposure and payment/logistics risk for many buyers.
Channel: Rosoboronexport (state)
Fielded & proven
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 2019. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$88K – $123K
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost — operating & support dominate over ~20 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
- Max speed
Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.
- 110 km/h Stronger than 12% of UAVs
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 40 km Stronger than 18% of UAVs
- Service ceiling
Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.
- 5,000 m Stronger than 28% of UAVs
- Endurance
Time on station. Critical for UAVs and patrol platforms — higher means longer persistent coverage.
- 0.8 h Stronger than 15% of UAVs
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Warhead
Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range.
- 3 kg Stronger than 31% of UAVs
- Warhead type
Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable.
- Shaped-charge/fragmentation warhead
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Wingspan
Wingtip-to-wingtip span.
- 1.65 m
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 12 kg
- Crew
Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.
- 0
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Electric motor, pusher propeller
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
- Sensors
IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights.
- Electro-optical seeker
- Datalink
Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement.
- Encrypted two-way LOS datalink
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
- Unit cost
Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.
- $35,000 Stronger than 88% of UAVs
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 1 Stronger than 15% of UAVs
Specifications compiled from public ZALA Aero Group and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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What is the top speed of the ZALA Aero Group Lancet-3? +
The ZALA Aero Group Lancet-3 has a maximum speed of 110 km/h.
What is the range of the ZALA Aero Group Lancet-3? +
The ZALA Aero Group Lancet-3 has a maximum range of 40 km.
How much does the ZALA Aero Group Lancet-3 weigh? +
The ZALA Aero Group Lancet-3 has a combat weight of 12 kg.
How many crew does the ZALA Aero Group Lancet-3 require? +
The ZALA Aero Group Lancet-3 requires a crew of 0.
What is the ZALA Aero Group Lancet-3 used for? +
The ZALA Aero Group Lancet-3 is a uav / drone typically used for deep strike, anti armor.
How many countries operate the ZALA Aero Group Lancet-3? +
The ZALA Aero Group Lancet-3 is operated by 1 countries.
How much does the ZALA Aero Group Lancet-3 cost? +
The ZALA Aero Group Lancet-3 has an approximate unit cost of 35,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.
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