Rostec State Corporation is planning a substantial uptick in the manufacture of Lancet kamikaze unmanned aerial vehicles, the compact drones deployed in active military operations. This plan was outlined by Vladimir Artyakov, the first deputy head of Rostec, in an interview broadcast during the Army-2023 forum on the Russia 24 channel. The message was clear: Lancets remain in high demand as long as they can be produced at scale and distributed across frontline units.
Artyakov stressed the goal of expanding production significantly, aiming to double the output of these guided drones. He explained that the need for such UAVs will be pronounced as long as the conflict endures and as long as the drones can be delivered in larger quantities to meet battlefield demand. The deputy head highlighted that the pace of manufacturing for certain ammunition types has risen dramatically, noting increases in the order of twenty to thirty times during the summer months. At the same time, Rostec reported that the production of armored combat vehicles has surged to roughly four to five times their previous volumes. These figures reflect a concerted effort to bolster material and technological support across the defense sector in response to evolving operational requirements.
The discussion also touched on assessments of battlefield impact from high-ranking military observers. Scott Ritter, a former U.S. Army intelligence officer, has asserted that Lancet drones have played a major role on the front lines by destroying a significant portion of Ukrainian artillery assets. Ritter argued that the effectiveness of the Lancet relies not solely on massed counter-battery actions but on the UAVs’ ability to find targets and deliver precise strikes, thereby eroding artillery effectiveness and forcing changes in frontline tactics for the Ukrainian forces. Such assertions contribute to a broader narrative about how unmanned systems are shifting battlefield dynamics and the importance of continued innovation in drone-enabled warfare.
The conversation did not stop at current UAV usage; it also touched on ongoing technological developments and programmatic adjustments within Russia’s defense-industrial complex. There are ongoing initiatives to refine drone suppression capabilities and to integrate drone-centric approaches into broader defensive and offensive planning. Observers note that the push to scale Lancet production mirrors a wider pattern seen in many national defense programs, where rapid manufacturing scaleup, supply chain resilience, and rigorous quality control are critical to sustaining frontline effectiveness. In this context, the Lancet program serves as a focal point for understanding how small, agile aerial platforms can complement larger weapons systems and how emerging tactics are reshaping operational options for ground forces in the current theater of operations.