"Pantsir-S" in production and operation

"Pantsir" in the Special Operation zone

Currently, one of the main and most widespread means of air defense in parts of the Russian army is the Pantsir-S anti-aircraft missile and gun system. This type of equipment is used to cover important areas, and also participates in the current Special Operation to protect Donbass. The industry continues mass production of these air defense systems, and also carries out modernization of various scales, taking into account the accumulated experience of operation and application.

Production success

Serial production of the Pantsir-S air defense missile system started at the turn of the 2023s. Since then, the State Defense Order has annually provided for the supply of dozens of combat vehicles of this type for air defense units and formations from various types of armed forces. In XNUMX, the industry, represented by the Tula Instrument Design Bureau from the High-Precision Complexes holding company (part of Rostec), was again engaged in fulfilling such an order.

On December 5, High-Precision Complexes and Rostec reported the latest successes in mass production. It is reported that the manufacturing organization has completed the state order for Pantsirs for this year ahead of schedule. The number of air defense missile systems built and transferred to the army, however, is not specified.

There is about a month left until the end of the year, and KBP is making good use of this time. It is reported that the company continues to assemble the complexes, but already beyond the plan. Once ready, these vehicles will also enter the armed forces and complement the existing air defense fleet.

Hitting a target, view through the ZRPK optical-location station

“Rostec” and “High-Precision Complexes” remind us of the process of constant development of the existing structure and its elements. Thus, the latest updates took into account the experience of operation and combat use during the current Special Operation. As a result of these activities, the effectiveness of work against complex air targets, such as rockets or long-range missiles, has improved.

It is reported that the modified Pantsir-S has already been tested by practice in the combat zone. The results of combat use confirmed the correctness of the implemented solutions. Serial complexes, incl. built according to the updated design, continue combat duty and work, and also solve assigned tasks.

Complexes in service

The promising 96K6 Pantsir-S air defense system was put into service in 2012, and deliveries of serial equipment to the troops began in the same period. The production of the complexes continues to this day, and to date the army has received a large number of combat vehicles and auxiliary equipment. At the same time, the exact production volumes and the size of the park available in parts remain unknown. Foreign sources estimate them at 100-120 units.

A full-fledged series made it possible to carry out the required rearmament of air defense of several types of armed forces in a few years. Currently, through production, the tasks of quantitative and qualitative strengthening of air defense are being solved. In addition, losses are made up - unfortunately, during combat operations, “Pantsirs” attract increased attention from the enemy and cannot always defend against his attacks.

Anti-aircraft gunner and downed enemy UAV

The export version of the Pantsir air defense missile system has attracted interest from a number of countries and has found many customers. To date, about a dozen countries have acquired such equipment. Several more armies are showing interest and are ready to negotiate. According to recent reports, the successful use of Pantsirs during the Special Operation has become a kind of advertising, and new purchase requests may be received in the near future.

Russian industry offers foreign customers various air defense systems of all main classes. As recently noted by the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, Pantsir is one of the most popular products of this kind on the market.

Experience of application

The first episodes of combat use of Pantsir-S took place in the middle of the last decade in Syria. Missile and gun systems intercepted aerodynamic and ballistic targets of various kinds. At the same time, it was reported that the effectiveness of the 96K6 product is inferior to other modern domestic air defense systems. Experience in combat use, incl. negative, was taken into account during the further development of the original project.

The modified systems, which have all the necessary characteristics and capabilities, have been participating in the Special Operation to protect Donbass since last year. Their task is to protect important areas, settlements and troops from various types of enemy air attacks. However, this time the combat work, for one reason or another, is more complex.

Pantsir-SA products at the parade

During the Special Operation, Russian air defense is faced with a specific range of targets and threats. Thus, the presence in the air and the intensity of manned flights aviation the enemy is constantly declining. At the same time, unmanned systems of various classes and types are being actively used. In addition, the enemy received modern aviation weapons from abroad. Also, our air defense, including Pantsir, has to work against rocket artillery ammunition and tactical class missiles.

Various types of missiles and UAVs are considered difficult targets to intercept. However, already at the start of operation, the ZRPK 96K6 had the ability to work for similar purposes, and in the future its potential only grew. In addition, as part of the Special Operation, the necessary experience was accumulated, which was then transformed into recommendations for combat crews and plans for the modernization of the equipment. All this led to a new increase in all key indicators and the effectiveness of combat work.

The Ministry of Defense reports almost every day about certain successes of our air defense. The reports include damaged aircraft, as well as downed missiles of various types. The Pantsirs and their crews take the most active part in the destruction of these targets. It is reported that the missile and gun systems in their current configuration show high efficiency in performing all operations, from illuminating the air situation to directly hitting the target found.

Further development

From recently published data it follows that Rostec is building and supplying the Russian army with an air defense missile system of the basic Pantsir-S modification with a set of modern modifications. At the same time, the industry offers customers a number of other options and modifications of the complex with different features. Some of them are already in service or are expected in the foreseeable future.

Exhibition "Pantsir-SM"

The main modification of Pantsir-S is intended for operation in different regions and in a wide range of conditions. Several years ago, in addition to it, an Arctic version was developed with a number of characteristic differences. The Pantsir-SA air defense missile system is built on a two-link DT-30 tracked chassis and has an updated combat module. The guns were removed from the latter, and the number of missiles was increased to 18. In addition, the composition of detection and control equipment was changed.

A direct development of the existing air defense missile system is the Pantsir-SM product. While maintaining all the key solutions of the basic model, it receives new radars and advanced missiles with an increased range. This project also proposes a new small-sized missile to combat light UAVs.

The Pantsir-SA product was demonstrated in 2017 in several copies. Probably, the assembly of such equipment continued in the future, but due to its specifics it had limited volumes. Such equipment was supposed to go to air defense units operating in the Arctic. "Pantsir-SM" is currently undergoing testing and has been demonstrated at open exhibitions. At the beginning of the year, it was reported about the possibility of sending such equipment to the Special Operations zone for military testing.

Today and tomorrow

Thus, the Russian defense industry continues the serial production of modern Pantsir-S air defense missile systems for our army and is even ahead of schedule. In addition, based on the accumulated experience, small but important improvements and modernizations are carried out, giving an increase in the main characteristics and combat capabilities.

In parallel, work continues on the following modifications of the complex, which will have to reach the troops in the foreseeable future. As a result of all these processes, air defense units of the Russian army have the required equipment in the required quantities, and can also count on updating the fleet in the future.

Comments

[Amateur]

Full contents of the article.
“There is an air defense complex “Pantsir-S”. The complex is mass-produced. The manufacturer has fulfilled the 2023 plan and wants to exceed it. The complex is constantly being modernized. The complex is sold abroad. There are several copies of the complex in polar design.”
All! Everything else is water!
ps Still, it was in vain that they canceled the “-” for the articles. Then I wouldn't have to write a comment. I would just put a "-".

[Saburov_Alexander53]

And I liked the first photo in the text with the “target hit bunny” on the locator screen. It’s a pity that the target itself is not visible, but the flash from the explosion is present, which means there is no doubt that the target was destroyed!

[bayard]

Quote: Saburov_Alexander53

There is no doubt that the target has been destroyed!

I witnessed at the beginning of March last year how a Pantsir-1S intercepted a salvo of 14 Hurricane missiles from an enemy 14th missile defense system. The volley was dense. The first Pantsir hit 12 NURs, and the remaining two were already the second. That’s when I felt proud of our air defense, and as a former air defense officer myself. There were other cases, and quite a few, but just like this - 14 Hurricane missiles, 14th missile defense system in one salvo... 100% for ballistic targets, rating 5+.

[Saburov_Alexander53]

Witnessed in early March last year
I believe you, but how did an air defense officer in the past get access to combat? It turns out that you are a member of the SVO? Then I have special respect for you and tolerance for any disagreements.

[bayard]

I have been living in Donetsk since 2014 and observed this event over the city at the very beginning of the Northern Military District. Our air defense actually works regularly, but that incident was painfully memorable, I was counting launches and explosions in the air... I just thought that the Pantsir ammo had run out, and a little further away the second one started working.

Quote: Saburov_Alexander53

are you a member of the SVO?

I was no longer enough for SVO (health), but I have been a participant since the beginning of the Russian Spring and the creation of the Donetsk Republic. And here even children can easily identify exits, arrivals, and air defense operations by type by ear.

[Saburov_Alexander53]

We understand well that 100% target destruction cannot be demanded from any air defense system. And we can only be glad that sometimes it works out.
Ever since my service on the Project 629A missile submarine, a question arose regarding the presence of unsuccessful training firings. In fact, in two years after “training” to become a radio operator and modernization for an underwater launch in Dalzavod, I had to participate three times on submarines in such shootings. The result was always “excellent”, for which the crew was congratulated by the RDG from the shore, a certain time after the shooting, and the Commander read out the congratulation deciphered by the secretary.
I had to ask the guys from other submarines of our division and they also always and everywhere had an “excellent” rating for missile firing. But with torpedo training firing, everything was not so smooth and there were cases (not with my submarine) when torpedoes were missed and even lost, which were then searched for a long time by “torpedo catchers”.
So I’m wondering, was our new missile system D4 (R-21) with an underwater launch really so reliable then that we didn’t hear about a single unsuccessful training launch for the entire 29th Submarine Division? Or such things were immediately kept secret and could not reach the ears of the personnel, but were understood by a very narrow circle of specialists.

[DenVB]

Quote: Saburov_Alexander53

So I’m thinking, was it really that our new D4 (R-21) missile system with an underwater launch was so reliable then that we didn’t hear about a single unsuccessful training launch for the entire 29th Submarine Division?

I don’t know what submarine missiles have to do with it, but here it is:

Quote: Wikipedia

The R-21 missile was in service for almost 20 years - in total, from 1963 to 1982, 228 launches of R-21 missiles were carried out, of which 193 (84,6%) were successful[18][19]. The reason for 19 unsuccessful launches was failures of on-board equipment of the missiles, in 11 cases - failures of supporting equipment and personnel errors; the reasons for the failures of 5 launches could not be established[21].

[Saburov_Alexander53]

DenVB, thanks for the help and statistics! It confirms that there is no 100% performance of any equipment, and especially when there is a human factor. And I, of course, assumed that the D4 (R-21) could also malfunction. I just noted that over the years of service in my 29th Submarine Division (Rakushka) I have not heard of a single unsuccessful shooting. Perhaps our Division was lucky and all the cases indicated in the statistics occurred in other Submarine Divisions or happened before/after my short service life.
I know that Project 629A boats with this complex served, among other things. on the Baltic (Liepaja). And I always wondered where their missile firing range was? After all, the trajectory could not pass over foreign states, and even over our own densely populated countries... Was this really why they went to the Northern Fleet?

[DenVB]

Quote: Saburov_Alexander53

Project 629A boats with this complex served, incl. on the Baltic (Liepaja). And I always wondered where their missile firing range was?

I don't know this. It's an interesting question though. Where did they go for military service?

[Saburov_Alexander53]

Where did they go for military service?

This is not a problem; the Baltic Sea was quite enough, as were targets within the R-21’s reach, only 1400 km away.
Our 29th Division, after the tragedy with K-129 in 1968, was transferred from Kamchatka to Primorye, Vladimir Bay, and limited its targets and navigation to the Sea of ​​Japan. And there were enough targets for the P-21 with US bases in Japan itself. Another thing is that our training firing was at the Kura training ground in Kamchatka and the missiles’ flight trajectory basically did not threaten anyone in the event of an accident.

[bayard]

Quote: Saburov_Alexander53

We understand well that 100% target destruction cannot be demanded from any air defense system.

What was surprising to me then was not only that all 14 missiles from one Uragan salvo were intercepted, but that one missile was used for each one. That is, the “Pantsiri” worked just perfectly. Moreover, the first of them has its entire BC (12) pieces. worked. By the way, there were also such cases in other sectors of the front - a full salvo was intercepted at the rate of one missile per missile. So during the SVO, Pantsir-S1 covers itself with Glory. And this is not hyperbole.
By the way, my classmate in that design bureau (Gryazev and Shipunov) still works to this day.
As for firing ICBMs and SLBMs ... in the USSR, we took the development, testing and fine-tuning of such equipment so seriously that when the equipment entered service, operation and practical firing, as a rule, did not cause any problems. Another thing is testing. Here there were explosions, failures, and deaths of people. But at this price the highest reliability was achieved. I am familiar with this topic; I remember some explosions during tests from childhood. Just like the tremors of the earth when testing steps on a stand.

[Saburov_Alexander53]

bayard, I leave a little doubt about the accuracy of your calculations “by eye” with a comparison of the number of shots and hits. But I have no doubt at all about the merits of our Pantsir S complex.
The other day they said that they were opening the airport in Krasnodar for flights, which means that it was able to be sufficiently protected from attacks by UAVs and enemy missiles. Let's hope we can.

[bayard]

Quote: Saburov_Alexander53

I leave a little doubt about the accuracy of your calculations “by eye” with a comparison of the number of shots and hits.

There is no need to doubt it, I counted exits and explosions in the air together with the girl saleswoman. The "Hurricane" fires a measured salvo, not like the "Grad", so it is possible to count normally; even our children can hear arrivals, exits, and the operation of air defense - soon there will be 10 years of practice in the current conflict. Yes, and it’s interesting to me as an air defense officer, but here is such a salvo and it’s all intercepted. But such a case is not at all isolated, there have been others like this.

Quote: Saburov_Alexander53

They said that they were opening the airport in Krasnodar for flights, which means that it could be sufficiently protected from attacks by UAVs and enemy missiles.

We increased the air defense group, worked on airspace control, and built electronic warfare lines. How long can airports remain idle?

[DenVB]

Quote: bayard

The "Hurricane" fires a measured salvo, not like the "Grad", so it can be counted normally

How did you determine that it was Hurricane who fired? By the way, it has 16 pipes.

[bayard]

Firstly, not all pipes are always charged. Secondly, as a rule, the first one or two RS go as sighting guns, and then a salvo with the rest. If there were 12 RS in a salvo, I could count that it was a “Smerch”, but if there were 14, then only a “Hurricane” - by the method of elimination.
In addition, at that time Donetsk was hit mainly with “Grad” and “Uragan”, and they tried to use “Smerch” for launching adjustable SR “Alder”. "Highmars" were not yet transferred to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

[Deon59]

From 1984 to 1987 I served in Nerchensk, with a helicopter regiment, without a single disaster. From 1987 to 1990 of the MPR, two helicopter regiments and the Mig 27 regiment, not a single accident in the helicopter, in the Mig 27 regiment, one flight accident due to the fault of the pilot. From 1990 to 1994, service in Chernigovka Dal VO, helicopter and assault regiment. The Mi 24 with its crew crashed in the helicopter, I can’t say exactly what it was from; the engines stopped when landing in Usuriysk. In assault, no problem. From 1994 to 1998 Buddenovsk. There, with the beginning of hostilities, it was a different story. Previously, they knew how to make equipment and maintain it.

[bug120560]

Just for fun, you might want to see how much the Uragan missile launcher costs and how much the Pantsir-1S missile launcher costs. Artillery must fight enemy artillery in a counter-battery manner. Enemy crews moving forward to fire must be destroyed either on the march or when deployed to combat positions. Such interceptions are a direct consequence of the lack of the required number of reconnaissance assets and the lack of proper interaction between reconnaissance assets and fire weapons.
No one disputes that “Pantsir-1C” is the best in its class, but as many as 160 of them were produced.

[bayard]

Quote: bug120560

Just for fun, you might want to see how much the Uragan missile launcher costs and how much the Pantsir-1S missile launcher costs.

How much does the damage from a missed Uragan missile cost? By the way, they were flying around Donetsk, but we have people living here.
And there is no need to worry about the cost of the Pantsir missile defense system; it is the cheapest and easiest to produce air defense missile systems with a radio command guidance system. Not AGSN, not even semi-active - radio command. Of all the equipment on board, there is a receiver, servos for the rudders and a radio remote fuse. And to the question “Why don’t you want to install AGSN on your SAMs,” he answered: “My SAMs don’t fire radars!”
So the costs of the Uragan missile launcher and the Pantsir missile launcher are probably comparable.

Quote: bug120560

Artillery must fight enemy artillery in a counter-battery manner.

What should the landing force do on the bridgehead? Where were long-range self-propelled guns and artillery reconnaissance equipment not delivered? The launcher of such a strike complex can be mounted on any pickup truck, and for target designation - “Orlan” ... Although you are talking about something completely different ... that there is no point in intercepting enemy missiles, let’s have them on the march during the advance ... And when I reviewed my old post, I thought that we were talking about the Hermes strike complex, which has a missile based on the Pantsir-S1 and Pantsir-SM missile defense systems... I thought you were digging a little deeper.

Quote: bug120560

No one disputes that “Pantsir-1C” is the best in its class, but as many as 160 of them were produced.

And who reported this to you?
Actually, this is an air defense facility complex, and that’s why it’s on a wheeled chassis. The military version (for military air defense was made only last year - on a chassis from the T-80 and the Pantsir-SM combat module with a maximum missile range of up to 40 km (on actively maneuvering up to 32 km).
"Pantsir-S1" was created as an export product by order of the UAE, it turned out well, more orders came in, then they decided to make it for themselves in the version of the Object Air Defense SAM, it turned out even better. Now two modifications are produced for Object and Military Air Defense (S-1 and SM) on three types of chassis + a naval version. How many of these complexes the industry has produced (and especially how many missile defense systems for them) no one will tell you now, especially together with export ones, I will only say that the Pantsirya missile defense system is almost an order of magnitude cheaper than the Tor-M2 air defense missile system, although it surpasses it in interception range .

Quote: bug120560

only as many as 160 of them were produced.

Several dozen of them were produced annually. Now the production rate has increased significantly. SAM - at least an order of magnitude.

[vik669]

Yes, the opinion of a specialist from ... the sofa is of course important, but sometimes it is better to remain intelligently silent than to speak stupidly.

[K-36]

Uv. namesake (under the nickname Dilettant), I completely agree with your post! In relation to Ryabov’s article, I immediately remembered something from V. Nevinny “It’s not beer that kills people, it kills people.” water".
Pretentious blah blah blah for "Pionerskaya Pravda" on Military Review...
The topic of air defense using Pantsirs in the Navy has not been touched upon at all. But the Sea Shell is a huge achievement of the Tula Design Bureau. These are years of work (successes and failures), but the result has been achieved! And now all “Karakurts” will be produced with this Shell! Uninhabited! For the Shell crew is located in a separate room of the ship.
I myself had the opportunity to serve on the S-125 Neva (1978 - 1980). According to my estimates: Pantsir completely replaces this complex in terms of combat capabilities (12 missiles both here and there. Launch ranges and altitudes are almost the same.). But in terms of the speed of changing combat positions and the personnel of the combat crew, it is completely superior to the S-125!!! And Ryabov doesn’t say a word about this...
I'm taking my leave for sim

[RUSa]

You are absolutely right. Solid water.

[Sith]

This project also proposes a new small-sized missile to combat light UAVs.

The design idea has finally moved towards the fight against drones in standard military air defense systems
Because it’s expensive to hit drones with a large and expensive missile, and there may be a swarm of drones
You need a bunch of small missiles against them

[Arigin]

1. The shell is in production.
2. The shell is in use.
- And then what?
- And then we will produce and operate (and modernize a little)!

[Comrade Kim]

Quote: bayard

but just like that - 14 Hurricane missiles, 14th missile defense system in one salvo... 100% for ballistic targets, rating 5+.

This is an ideal indicator.
Did the developers expect such results?
Well done! The theory has been surpassed!

[Ml. Sergeant]

The car is good, but the Ukrainians quickly figure out where we are and therefore we have to immediately change our location, with camouflage I can’t tell you very well

[nswe]

Quote from Sith

hitting drones with a large and expensive missile is expensive, and there may be a swarm of drones
You need a bunch of small missiles against them

By analogy, hitting drones with a missile is generally expensive. no missiles will be enough. something like Shilka - just