By Defence Industry Europe
Russian company Vostok Design Bureau Biuro Projektowe Wostok has announced the commencement of mass production of the Scalpel loitering munition system. This was made possible following the successful completion of tests that lasted since autumn 2023. By the end of this year, several thousand units of the Scalpel are expected to be produced. This type of weapon is used by the Russians in war in Ukraine, where it operates alongside various types of reconnaissance UAVs.
The launch weight of the Scalpel bbsl is 10.5kg. Its warhead weighs 5kg. The range of the bbsl is 40 km, and its cruising speed reaches up to 120km/h.
Before the start of mass serial production, the Scalpel underwent upgrades to make it cheaper to produce than the Lanchet munitions previously used in large quantities. Both types of loitering munition are designed for top-attack against armored vehicles, primarily tanks.
![Teledyne FLIR Defense unveils Rogue 1 loitering munition system [VIDEO]](https://defence-industry.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Teledyne-FLIR-Defense-unveils-Rogue-1-loitering-munition-system-VIDEO.jpg)
