Lancet (Izdeliye 51/52/53)
Loitering munition · also known as Lancet-3, Lancet-51, Lancet-52, Izdeliye 51, Izdeliye 52, Izdeliye 53, X-51, X-52
| Designer / manufacturer | ZALA Aero Group (Kalashnikov Concern) |
|---|---|
| Countries | Russia |
| Production | unknown (location not documented in sources reviewed) |
| Operators | Russia, Iran (unconfirmed) |
| Estimated unit cost | $35k–$40k per aircraft, estimate (2026) · source |
| Confidence | medium |
Other published estimates
| Estimate | Context | Source |
|---|---|---|
| $35k–$37k, estimate (2023) | Reuters, 28 Jun 2023, Samuel Bendett (CNAS), about 3 million roubles; original Reuters page not retrieved | cnas.org |
| $68k, estimate (2026) | Lancet X-51, per adviser Serhii Beskrestnov | www.pravda.com.ua |
Reported characteristics
| X-52 | {'warheadKg': 3, 'rangeKm': 50, 'endurance': '40 min'} |
|---|---|
| X-51 | {'warheadKg': 5, 'rangeKm': 130, 'endurance': '90 min (declared)'} |
| lancet-3 | {'rangeKm': '40 (declared, Wikipedia)', 'massKg': 'up to 12', 'cruiseKmh': '110'} |
Notes
Specs are declared by the maker or relayed by Ukrainian officials. 'Hit' counts are not 'kill' counts.
Who uses it and how they obtain it
How each user obtains this type, from open sources (research note of 12 October 2026). Confidence concerns the route claim: high means several independent authoritative sources or an official source; medium, one good source with supporting coverage; low, a single source, a party's claim or visual similarity only. 'Contested' means a party denies it, sources disagree, or it rests only on a party's claim. Several primary documents were only reachable through secondary coverage. This is background on the type, not evidence about any specific incident. Explanations are in English.
| User | How obtained | Explanation and sources |
|---|---|---|
| Russia | own production Confidence: high | Made by ZALA Aero Group (Kalashnikov Concern); the production site is not documented in the sources found. HUR (March 2026) says most of the 62 electronic components it identified across Lancet and Scalpel are foreign-made. Components: HUR: mainly US parts plus Swiss and Chinese ones, and Nvidia Jetson-based modules; an earlier ISIS review of open-source images also named US, Swiss and Czech parts (Ukrainian claim, not independently verified). |
| Iran (unconfirmed) | not documented Confidence: low | No evidence was found that Iran operates the Lancet. The March 2026 reports of Russian drone shipments to Iran concern Geran-2-type and other drones and do not name the Lancet. Components: unknown |
Dossiers mentioning this type
No published dossier names this type yet.
Sources
- https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/05/08/8033872/
- https://cnas.org/press/in-the-news/cheap-russian-drone-a-menace-to-ukrainian-troops-and-equipment
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZALA_Lancet
Cost figures are published estimates from third parties and vary widely; they are not DroneLedger assessments. Corrections: About, corrections & privacy.
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