Precision in the Skies: The Evolution of Loitering Munitions

Zala Aero: Product-55 (Izedeliye 55)

Russia’s Zala Aero Group announced the launch of its latest innovation, the Product 55 loitering munition in January 2024. Featuring a distinct X-wing aerodynamic design inspired by the Lancet family, the Product 55 is equipped with four engines and is designed for short-range operations. The system enables real-time monitoring in Full HD quality, allowing operators to optimize the angle of approach to the target. the munition is claimed to be resilient against enemy electronic warfare systems.

Zala Aero: Lancet

The ZALA Lancet loitering munition has been extensively used in the ongoing Ukraine war. In February 2024, Manufacturer ZALA Group announced a fifty-fold increase in the production of high-precision weaponry coinciding with the commencement of the Special Military Operation in Ukraine.

In September 2023, a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter suffered damage after being hit by a Lancet.

The ZALA Lancet It has undergone combat testing in Syria during the Russian military intervention in the Syrian civil war and has also been deployed during the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Israel Aerospace Industries: Harpy NG

As a loitering munition system dedicated to the suppression and destruction of enemy air defenses (SEAD/DEAD), Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) HARPY provides a strategic tool for armed forces planning a strike against anti-access/area denial (A2AD) defensive systems. HARPY is launched from Ground-Based or Naval Canisters and endures long ranges, paving a safe corridor inside enemy airspace.

Equipped with an Anti-Radiation (AR) seeker, HARPY can autonomously seek and strike emitting, high-value targets.  The HARPY operates in deep strike missions lasting up to 9 hours, and in GNSS-denied or contested battlefields. HARPY is equipped to hunt—seek targets in a designated area, locate and identify their frequency, and autonomously pursue a strike from any direction, at shallow or steep dive profiles.

Israel Aerospace Industries: Harop

Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) HAROP is a standoff loitering attack weapon system that combines features of both a UAV and a missile. HAROP can identify targets without prior intelligence and plan precise attack routes. It has a 9-hour endurance and  is resilient against GNSS jamming and can be supervised remotely, with the flexibility to abort missions if necessary. It is easily deployable from trucks or naval vessels.

In April 2016, Azerbaijan deployed IAI Harop drones in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, targeting Armenian soldiers' buses and a command post. Criticism arose in April 2018 over Israeli arms supply to Azerbaijan when IAI systems, including the Harop, were showcased in an Azerbaijan Army film. In May 2018, the Israeli Defense Forces Harop destroyed a Syrian Air Defense SA-22 Greyhound air defense system. The Harop was also used by the Azerbaijan Air Force in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, earning praise for its effectiveness from Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's advisor, Hikmet Hajiyev.

Iranian loitering munitions

In October 2023, the Iranian Army revealed two new loitering munitions, Sina and Fateh, during the Eqtedar 1402 military drills. These kamikaze drones, armed with 300 to 1,000-gram warheads, successfully hit designated targets within a 10-kilometer radius. Ababil-4 drones also demonstrated precision by dropping Qaem-5 bombs on targets from a 7-kilometer range. The Mohajer 6 drone carried out a successful offensive operation in Nasrabad, Isfahan, using laser-guided missiles.

Iran is also developing Lancet-like kamikaze drone for widespread use in counter-ambush operations.

There are a few drones that have doubled up in their function and have been used as loitering munitions.

Android Technics: BAS-80

Russian engineers are developing the BAS-80 loitering munition, a drone inspired by the American Switchblade model. Evgeniy Dudorov, general director of SPA "Android Technics," released videos and images of the BAS-80, revealing that some units have already been deployed for field testing in Ukraine. The footage shows the drone's launch mechanism, which uses a powder charge to deploy it from a transport container.

The BAS-80, weighing 1.7 kilograms and made from composite materials and fiberglass has  a payload capacity of 500 grams, extendable to 2 kilograms. It operates with an electric motor, covers up to 30 kilometers, reaches speeds of 130 km/h, and can maintain altitudes up to 200 meters.

Detailed images showcase the drone’s optical system with three lenses for color and infrared imaging. The BAS-80's specifications surpass those of the American Switchblade 300, which has a shorter range and smaller payload.

Elbit Systems: SkyStriker

Elbit Systems announced it was supplying 'several hundred' SkyStriker loitering munitions (LM) to a European country in September 2023.

The SkyStriker LM is a fully autonomous loitering munition that can locate, acquire and engage operator designated targets with a warhead of up to 10 Kg, enabling high-precision performance. SkyStriker can be launched from a variety of ground and aerial platforms, including from a dedicated canister on Elbit Systems’ PULS (Precise and Universal Launching System) rocket artillery.

Equipped with an electrical engine, the SkyStriker enables covert operations of up to 2 hours with a range of 100km. The system can precisely strike targets while maintaining a “man in the loop” even in GPS and communication denied environments. The Skystriker can use a number of warhead types which can be interchanged in the field during pre-flight according to the operational requirement.

Mac Jee: ANSHAR
Brazilian firm Mac Jee introduced its explosive drone prototype, ANSHAR, at Dubai Air Show - 2023. According to the company, the loitering munition boasts speed of 170 m/s, a minimum altitude of 10 meters (sea skimming), a range capacity of 180 km, and one hour of flight autonomy. These features enable the explosive drone to effectively target both land and sea objects. Mac Jee plans to officially launch the ANSHAR in early 2025, anticipating its success on the international market.

Elbit Systems’ FAST Capsule Integrating Skylark III UAS and SkyStriker LM

Elbit Systems has introduced the Find-and-Strike (FAST) Capsule, which combines the Skylark III UAS and SkyStriker Loitering Munition (LM). The Skylark III, a small-tactical intelligence UAS, features advanced sensors and up to 18 hours of endurance, supporting ISTAR missions in GPS-denied environments. It can carry various payloads, including high-resolution cameras and SIGINT sensors.

The SkyStriker LM is an autonomous munition capable of high-precision strikes with a 10 kg warhead, operable for up to 2 hours within a 100 km range. It can be launched from ground and aerial platforms and remains effective in GPS and communication-denied settings.

Some prominent loitering munitions