Zala Aero Group, a prominent Russian developer and manufacturer of UCAVs and loitering munitions, unveiled what it claims to be its latest LM impervious to EW attacks – the Izdeliye 55 (Product 55 in English) – on 2 January.
The new drone is a member of the well-established Lancet family and features an X-wing aerodynamic design, four engines, remote container launch and is purportedly easy to operate. Its advanced features – including real-time high-definition video feed right up to the moment of impact and a selectable angle of approach to the target – have the potential to significantly enhance the operational effectiveness of Russian forces on the ground in Ukraine.
Its resistance to EW effects, in addition, could provide significant tactical advantage. However, it is worth pointing out that a large number of recent claims made by Russia for various items of equipment have been – not disproven, exactly, but circumvented by Ukrainian responses. The obliteration of the recently-deployed counter-battery radar by (ironically) an artillery battery is a case in point. Nonetheless, if true, the drone may pose a new challenge to C-UAS systems currently fielded.
For more info: Изделие 55 – ZALA AERO — Беспилотные системы (БПЛА), беспилотные воздушные суда (БВС) (zala-aero.com) (in Russian)
(Image: The Izdeliye 55, a development of the Lancet family, is claimed to be impervious to EW attack. Credit: ZALA Aero Group)
