Image source: topwar.ru
The Vostok Design Bureau announced plans to start mass production of a new Scalpel barrage ammunition, which should compete with the Lancet-3 from Zala Aero, widely used by the Russian army in Ukraine.
It is expected that the production of the new drone will begin in October this year. It is currently undergoing flight tests and is expected to be put into operation in Ukraine by the end of this year.
- it is noted in the publication Zona Militar.
As indicated, the "highlight" of the new product is its multifunctional cargo compartment, designed to accommodate various payloads.
With a diameter of 125 mm and a length of 650 mm, the Scalpel can be equipped with a 5-kilogram warhead, similar to the one used in the shells of most Russian-made tanks
- it is said in the foreign press, evaluating the new product.
Image source: topwar.ru
According to the author, the Scalpel will become a competitive alternative to the Lancet-3 both in terms of characteristics and cost:
Since it will enter mass production and will be deployed [in the military], the new drone will undoubtedly have a significant impact on Russia's defense capability, especially in the changing situation in Ukraine.