Pantsir missile system
The Pantsir () missile system is a family of self-propelled, medium-range surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery systems. Starting with the Pantsir-S1 (, NATO reporting name SA-22 Greyhound) as the first version, it is produced by KBP Instrument Design Bureau of Tula, Russia, and is the successor to the Tunguska M1. The Pantsir-S1 was designed to provide point air defence of military, industrial and administrative installations against aircraft, helicopters, precision munitions, cruise missiles and UAVs; and to provide additional protection to air defence units against enemy air attacks employing precision munitions, especially at  low to extremely low altitudes. Design. The first finished version was completed in 1995 with the 1L36 radar, later another was designed. It is a short to medium range ground-based air defence system, wheeled, tracked or stationary with two to three operators. Its air defense consists of automatic anti-aircraft guns and surface-to-air missiles with radar or optical target-tracking and radio-command guidance. Its purpose is the protection of civil and military point and area targets, for motorised or mechanised troops up to regimental size or as defensive asset of higher ranking air defence systems like  S-300/S-400. The system has capability for anti-munitions missions. It can hit targets on the waterline/above-water. It can operate in a fully automatic mode. It has the ability to work in a completely passive mode. The probability of hitting a target for one missile is not less than 0.7 with a reaction time of 4–6 seconds. It can fire missiles and gun armament while in motion. For its main radar station, early detection in height may be between 0–60° or 26–82° depending on the mode. The system is claimed to have significant advantages over other  systems, such as Crotale NG (France), Roland-3 (France + Germany), Rapier 2000 (UK), SeaRAM (Germany + USA). This is not confirmed by comparative testing, but clearly follows from the declared limit of possibilities of systems (2010). In 2013, there was a variant with two radar stations for early detection * standing back to back *. The system has a modular structure which enables a fast and easy replacement of any part. After receiving target coordinates (from any source) it may engage the target (using all the radar except the early detection radar) within a range from −5 to +85 (82) degrees (vertical ). The interval between missile launches is 1–1.5 seconds (a world record for analogue systems). The S-400 Triumf and Pantsir missile system can be integrated into a two-layer defense system. Development. Originally Soviet strategic missile systems had been placed in fixed, hardened sites. Newer systems such as the S-300PS/PM (SA-10/20) were much more mobile which reduced vulnerabilities to attack. However, once the S-300 unit was found by enemy forces it was still very vulnerable to attack. One of the roles for the Pantsir-S is to provide air defence to the S-300 missile systems. It was decided that a  wheeled chassis would be better suited for the Pantsir-S rather than a tracked chassis, on grounds that wheeled vehicles are faster, less prone to breakdowns, easier to maintain, and cheaper to produce. Development as the Pantsir-S started in 1990 as a planned successor to the Tunguska M1. A prototype was completed in 1994 and displayed at the MAKS-1995. The program soon ran into difficulties which resulted in a halt in funding. However, KBP continued development of the program using its own funds. This resulted in a complete re-design of both the turret and radar systems and the  removal of any older Tunguska equipment. The system has two new radars with increased range, capable of tracking more air targets but also land targets. It has an integrated IFF system. Within the cabin two new LCD multi-function displays have replaced the multiple CRT display. A new central computer system greatly decreased the reaction time. Single operator operation can be achieved when needed. Due to the new technologies adopted, the overall volume of the weapon station is reduced by a third while the overall weight is reduced by half. The system has enhanced missiles (from type 57E6 to type  57E6-E probably interchangeable) and guns (from type 2A72 to type 2A38M). Live firing tests took place in June 2006 at the Kapustin Yar firing range, Astrakhan Region, Russia. Final test series prior to delivery in May 2007 at Kapustin Yar included a forced march of to an unprepared launch position simulating the accomplishing of a typical air-defence mission. The Pantsir-S1 air-defence missile-gun system was adopted for service with the Russian Ground Forces in November 2012. The modernized Pantsir-S2 entered service in 2015. Versions. Russia is developing a track-based Pantsir system to be  more maneuverable with Russian Ground Forces and Airborne Forces. Pantsir-S1. This is the first and most numerously produced version from 2008–2013, with more planned in 2019. Pantsir-S1M. New upgraded variant of the Pantsir-S1 first unveiled in February 2019 as some of the planned models. Experience of the system deployment in Syria was applied during development of the new modification. It has an upgraded L-band search radar with ability to track up to 40 targets at once and new multifunctional EHF fire-control radar that can engage four targets simultaneously, both fitted with phased antenna arrays. The  system uses a new 57E6M-E surface-to-air missile with an increased ceiling from , an engagement range from and a speed of . It has a 25 kg fragmentation warhead, compared to the 20 kg warhead of the standard 57E6-E missile. The first export contract was signed in August 2021. Pantsir-M/EM. A naval variant of the land-based Pantsir-S1 was unveiled in July 2015. The system uses two GSh-6-30K/AO-18KD six-barrel rotary cannons, as found on the Kashtan/Kortik CIWS, eight missiles instead 12 and an additional radar separate from the one fitted on  top of the turret itself. The Pantsir-M can simultaneously engage four targets with four missiles in an altitude from 2 to 15 km and at a range of 20 km. The system has an ammunition supply of 32 missiles. It has several combat modules, including an ammunition supply module in the storage and a reloading system under the deck. It may by fitted with surface-to-air missiles from both Pantsir-S and Hermes-K air defence systems with maximum firing range of the later of up to . In the future it will replace the Kashtan/Kortik CIWS on  all Russian Navy's warships, starting by Karakurt-class corvettes in 2018. Trials of the Pantsir-M/ME began in December 2017. The system entered service in February 2019. Pantsir-S2/S2E. A modernized system for the Russian Armed Forces and for export. Incorporates new tracking radar, two faced radars with enhanced features and range. It is in service with Russia and Algeria. Pantsir-SM. The Pantsir-SM variant incorporates a multi-functional targeting station, increasing target detection range from and engagement range from . The system uses a new high-speed extended range missile. Existing Pantsir systems can be upgraded  to SM standard. It is fitted to a new 8×8 Kamaz truck chassis with an armored cab. Development was completed in 2019. Pantsir-SA. After testing Pantsir in the Arctic, it was decided to design a new version specifically for the Arctic, to use at temperatures below called the Pantsir-SA. This version has no 30 mm auto-cannon mounted and it is based on an articulated tracked Vityaz vehicle. It is in service with the Russian Northern Fleet as of August 2020. Operations. The specific feature of the Pantsir-S1 system is the combination of a multiple-band target  acquisition and tracking system in conjunction with a combined missile and gun armament creating a continuous target engagement zone from height and range up to height and range, even without any external support. Modes. Using a digital data link system up to six Pantsir-S1 combat vehicle can operate in various modes. Armament. Missiles. The Pantsir-S1 carries up to twelve "57E6" (export designation) "57E6-E" (export enhanced designation) two-stage solid fuel radio/optical command-guided surface-to-air missiles in sealed ready-to-launch container tubes. Missiles are arranged into two six-tube groups on the turret. The  missile has a bicalibre body, consisting of two stages in a tandem configuration. The first stage is a booster, providing rapid acceleration within the first 2 seconds of flight, after which it is separated from the sustainer-stage. The sustainer is highly agile and contains the high explosive multiple continuous-rod/fragmentation warhead, as well as the contact and proximity fuses, guidance flare and radio transponder. The missile is not fitted with a seeker to keep target engagement costs low. Target and missile tracking is instead provided via the system's multiband sensor system. Guidance data is submitted via radio  link for up to four missiles in flight. The system is capable of tracking and guiding four missiles fired at four distinct targets. Operationally, however, two missile salvos are typically fired at each target. The 57E6 missile is believed to have a kill probability of 70–90%. They have a 15-year storage lifetime in its sealed launch container. Pantsir-S1 combat vehicles can fire missiles on the move. Additional missiles, one specifically designed to engage unmanned aerial vehicles, and another one hypersonic, developing speeds of more than Mach 5, have been developed for the Pantsir system. Autocannon. Two dual 2A38 M autocannon guns are fitted with 700 rounds in a variety of ammunition—HE (High Explosive) fragmentation, fragmentation tracer, and armour-piercing with tracer. Ammunition type can be selected by the crew depending on the nature of the target. The maximum rate of fire is 2,500 rounds per minute per gun. Range is up to . The combined gun-missile system has an extremely low altitude engagement capability (targets as low as 0 m AGL can be engaged by this system). Wheeled combat vehicles have to be jacked up to keep the machine in the horizontal position and be able to  fire the gun with full accuracy. The KAMAZ-6560 has four oil hydraulic jacks for this purpose. Gun: Fire control. The Pantsir-S1 fire control system includes a target acquisition radar and dual waveband tracking radar (designation 1RS2-1E for export models), which operates in the UHF and EHF waveband. Its detection range is . Its tracking range is for a target with a RCS. Can also reliably achieve more, to . This radar tracks both targets and the surface-to-air missile while in flight. Minimum target size () As well as radar, the fire control system has an electro-optic channel with  a long-wave thermal imager and an infrared direction finder, including digital signal processing and automatic target tracking. A simplified, lower-cost version of the Pantsir-S1 is being developed for export, with only the electro-optic fire control system fitted. The two independent guidance channels—radar and electro-optic—allow two targets to be engaged simultaneously. And four for more recent options (2012). The maximum engagement rate is up to 10–12 targets per minute. Types of purposes. Aircraft, UAVs, helicopters, anti-radar missiles (detection range of AGM-88 HARM missile ), air-launched cruise missiles. Support vehicles. In order to increase  high operational readiness KBP has designed several vehicles to support the Pantsir-S1 in the field. Command Posts (CP) Tasks accomplished by the regimental CP during warfare CP Capabilities Transporting-loading Vehicle (TLV) Mechanic Maintenance Vehicle Electronic Maintenance Vehicle (Launcher) Electronic Maintenance Vehicle (Command Post) Adjustment Vehicle Mechanic Maintenance Vehicle (CP) Spare Parts Vehicle Mobile Trainer Operational history. Libya. In June 2019, United Arab Emirates deployed several of its Pantsir-S1 air defence systems to Libya, to support the Libyan National Army in their advance towards Tripoli. The Libyan Interior Minister of the Government of National Accord, Fathi Bashagha claimed  one of the systems was reportedly destroyed by a GNA Libyan Air Force strike on 13 November 2019. On 15 May 2020, Turkish media showed a Pantsir system belonging to the Libyan National Army (LNA) targeted in a GNA drone strike near the Al-Watiya Air Base, southwest of Tripoli. Reportedly, the system was supplied by the United Arab Emirates. The airstrike came as a part of an operation to cut supplies to the LNA. Turkish media showed imagery of the airstrike. The LNA denied the Pantsir destruction claim made by the GNA. On 18 May, the Turkish backed Government  of National Accord (GNA) captured the al-Watiya Air Base including a Pantsir-S1 TLAR belonging to the Libyan National Army (LNA). Later, it was reported that the captured Pantsir battery was the same targeted three days before and it was transferred by the USAF to Ramstein Air Base in Germany in June 2020. On 20 May 2020, Mohammed Gununu, a GNA spokesman claimed their forces had destroyed 7 Pantsir TLARs in Al-Watiya airbase, Tarhouna and Al-Wishka. Media sources reported the destruction of at least 5 defenses in the GNA offensive, in turn a LNA official denied the  destruction of Pantsirs. On 8 June 2020, video footage was first leaked showing a Pantsir operated by UAE personnel. Post-conflict analysis showed that Pantsir was (at least temporarily) suppressed by combined efforts from electronic warfare systems on one side and long range artillery (or airstrikes) on the other side. Pantsir's positions were allegedly detected by long-range electronic warfare systems. Electronic warfare systems allegedly were at times able to jam Pantsir's radar and then forwarded the information to drone operators. In situations where jamming was not achieved strikes on Pantsir's positions were carried out with long  range artillery. Pantsir operators compensated by switching off the radar and focused on the electro-optical sensors instead of the radar (i.e. thermal imager and infrared direction finder), in order to acquire targets and this reportedly improved both Pantsir's survivability and effectiveness. Syria. A Pantsir-S1 unit of the Syrian Air Defense Force reportedly scored the first combat kill of the type by downing a Turkish Air Force RF-4E carrying out a reconnaissance flight over the Syrian coast near Latakia on 22 June 2012. The system has also been deployed on the territory of Syria by the Russian Armed  Forces as part of Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War since 2015. A Russian poster displayed at the International Military Technical Forum «ARMY-2017», from March to July 2017, claimed that the Russia's Pantsir-S systems deployed in Syria destroyed 12 flying objects, including the UAVs Heron, Bayraktar, RQ-21A, and also various missiles and an aerostat. At the beginning of October 2017, it was reported that the Pantsir destroyed two MLRS "Grad" missiles launched by ISIL. On 27 December 2017, militants fired several missiles from the Bdama inhabited community at Latakia International Airport and the Russian Aerospace Forces  deployment site in the Khmeimim Air Base. Two missiles were intercepted by the Pantsir air defense system. In the night of 5–6 January 2018, the Khmeimim Air Base was attacked by 13 aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Seven drones were eliminated by the Pantsir air defence systems, six landed at assigned coordinates with the use of electronic warfare hardware. On 14 April 2018, American, British, and French forces launched a barrage of 103 air-to-surface and cruise missiles targeting eight sites in Syria. According to Russian officials, twenty-five Pantsir-S1 missiles launched in response destroyed twenty-three  incoming missiles, The American Department of Defense stated no allied missiles were shot down. A Pantsir-S1 system belonging to the Syrian Air Defense Force was damaged by the Israel Defense Forces during the May 2018 Israel-Syria clashes. Images of the damaged system show it was effectively out of ammunition and the radar was disabled at the time of the strike. According to Chief Designer for Air Defense Systems at KBP Instrument Design Bureau (KBP) Valery Slugin, Israeli intelligence managed to track the position of the system after one of its operators called for re-supply and left his  mobile phone in the cabin. On 21 January 2019, Israeli military reported it has destroyed two Pantsir-S1 systems near Damascus. Russia's Pantsir and Tor-M1 air defense systems shot down 27 rockets the militants had fired at the Khmeimim Air Base on 6 May 2019. In January 2020, Chief Designer for Air Defense Systems at KBP Valery Slugin reported Pantsir air defence systems intercepted about 100 drones during their combat operations all over the world, most of which took place in Syria. Pantsirs were also successfully used against various ground targets, such as terrorist's jihad mobiles, during  their Syrian deployment. A Syrian Pantsir-S1 system was claimed to be destroyed by the Turkish Armed Forces during strikes on Syria in the night of 27–28 February 2020. Russian media alleged that the video analysis of footage released by Turkish media indicated visible design differences between the system claimed to be destroyed by Turkey and the variant operated by the Syrian Air Defense Force, and claimed that the footage might not come from Syria at all. Russian media claimed that the footage was CGI saying that the traces of missing video fragments and debris having the same size and  shape after the explosion. On 10 March 2020, the Russian Defence Ministry confirmed two Pantsir-S1 systems were damaged during the recent Turkey-Syria clashes, adding that repair works were nearing completion. On July 19, 2021, four F-16 fighter jets of the Israeli Air Force entered Syria’s airspace via the US-controlled al-Tanf zone and fired eight guided missiles at an area southeast of Syria’s Aleppo. Vadim Kulit, deputy chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria, claimed that seven missiles were downed by the Russian-made Pantsir-S and Buk-M2  systems of the Syrian Air Defense Forces. In the evening of July 27, a drone was launched by militants from the Kafer-Khattar community in the Idlib Province. The militant drone was downed over the Hama Province by the Syrian air defense who used a Russia-produced Pantsir-S missile system, Kulit claimed the next day. Syrian air defense forces shot down 22 missiles fired by Israel into Syria using Russian-made Buk-M2E and Pantsir-S systems, Rear Adm. Vadim Kulit said on 20 August 2021. Syrian air defense forces shot down twenty-one out of twenty-four missiles  fired by Israel into Syria using Russian-made Buk-M2E and Pantsir-S systems, Rear Adm. Vadim Kulit said on September 3, 2021. Syrian air defense forces shot down 8 out of 12 missiles fired by Israel in Syria using Russian-made Pantsir-S systems, Rear Adm. Vadim Kulit said on 08.10.2021. Syrian air defense forces shot down ten out of twelve missiles fired by Israel into Syria using Russian-made Buk-M2E and Pantsir-S systems, Rear Adm. Vadim Kulit said on November 24, 2021. Ukraine. Various independent experts believe that Pantsir-S1 systems were operated by Russian-backed  forces during the War in Donbass. Remnants of the main armament of the Pantsir-S1 were reported to have been observed in Ukraine in November 2014. It was also reportedly filmed in Luhansk and photographed in Makiivka in the rebel-held territories during early 2015. The Pantsir-S air defense missile and gun system has gone on combat duty in the town of Kerch, eastern Crimea, in early September 2018. On March 1, 2022, a Pantsir-S1 system became stuck in the mud in Kherson, Ukraine, and was later destroyed by the Ukrainian Army during the 2022 Russian invasion of  Ukraine.