The Lastochka complex emerged in September 2021 during Western-style strategic drills at the Mulino training ground in the Nizhny Novgorod region, staged by the Russian armed forces. It was showcased by JSC Design Bureau Luch, a designer of unmanned systems. The system’s stated capabilities place its effective range at about 25 kilometers, a flight weight around 4 kilograms, and a flight duration of roughly 1.5 hours. While the platform is described as an attack drone, official disclosures about its munitions remain sparse, noting only the use of small special ammunition.
Following developments, the Russian Defense Ministry said the Swallow complex saw service in a special operation in Ukraine. Officials claimed the UAVs destroyed numerous armored targets of the Ukrainian forces and engaged manpower on the battlefield. A source close to Rostec noted that Lastochka and related drones form part of a broader set of unmanned systems used in the operation, emphasizing their recent design and their role as combat assets, thanks to the use of suspended ammunition.
The UAVs in this family offer a substantial flight envelope and the ability to saturate airspace with precise strikes while performing reconnaissance and deploying specialized grenades. The Lastochka system is more than a drone: it includes a command post housed in a control vehicle that coordinates the missions and relays target coordinates to the air vehicles. The Swallow variant reportedly launches from a dedicated catapult during operations.
One reported weapon option is the 43 mm grenade rounds, which could be fired from a GM-94 launcher and serve airstrike missions. The VKO-25 HEAT ammunition is cited as capable of piercing armor, and in steep dives these rounds can breach turret armor or damage engine compartments. Fragmentation and thermobaric VOG-25 rounds are listed for engaging infantry. Observers suggest a combined-use scenario where Lastochka collaborates with other assets to strike and suppress opposing forces.
Military analyst Vladislav Shurygin observed potential cooperation between Lastochka and the larger Pacer drone, also known as Orion. In early appearances, the two operated together, with Pacer providing broader reconnaissance, higher flight altitude, and target assignment from the control center. This pairing mirrors the evolving tactics seen with other platforms, such as the Su-57 paired with the Okhotnik heavy drone, under development for multi-domain strike capabilities. Shurygin noted that Lastochka’s small footprint offers an advantage in stealth while limiting heavy weapons, positioning it for frontline use with a mix of reconnaissance, battlefield adjustment, and precision strikes. Sergei Belousov, a military analyst, added that the class of small, agile drones can be deployed in groups to release varied grenades from above and to conduct targeted engagements when required.