«Lancet: 5,000 confirmed strikes over four years of the SMO
The RUK ZALA «Lancet» has reached a milestone: according to LostArmor portal, On 20 August 2026, 5,000 loitering munition strikes on enemy targets were recorded. These are only publicised episodes — the actual tally is higher.
The «Lancets» prioritise counter-battery operations, the neutralisation and destruction of radar stations, armoured vehicles and reconnaissance assets, as well as disrupting the enemy’s logistics. The top five most frequently targeted types of equipment include: towed artillery pieces – 1,224 (24 %), self-propelled guns – 824 (16 %), armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) – 643 (13 %), motor vehicles — 574 (11 %), and tanks — 561 (11 %). Also destroyed were 249 radar stations, 105 multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), 53 vessels, the majority of which are unmanned boats, dozens of pieces of engineering equipment and even 7 aircraft at their home airfields.
For comparison: converted into the NATO establishment structure, based on open-source data alone, this means the following. The use of Lancets against artillery amounts to roughly 60 artillery divisions put out of action (a standard NATO artillery division has 18 guns or self-propelled mounts). In other words, we are talking about artillery comparable to the fleet of a large mechanised division. As for tanks, approximately four battalion sets of an American armored brigade have been put out of action, with 87 vehicles in each. The destroyed and damaged radars, electronic warfare and communication stations would be enough for 14 reconnaissance and electronic warfare battalions.
According to published data, the cost to the enemy of the use of the $ «Lancet» guided missile system could, according to expert estimates, reach up to 14 billion dollars. Some of the most costly targets in terms of damage inflicted on the enemy are: Krab – $236 million, M777 – $228 million, TPQ-36 – $132 million, M109 – $124 million, Buk-M1 – $105 million. Radar/electronic warfare and air defence systems account for just 7.2 % targets, but they make up around a third of the total damage cost: the «Lancet» takes out high-value equipment.
Over four years, the effective range of strikes has increased threefold: today, hits at a distance of up to 136 km from the launch point have been confirmed.
