On July 17, 2016, an interesting incident occurred. Unknown but heroic soldier Russian army, who was flying a reconnaissance drone in Syria, was a bit gape and mixed up a couple of states. Although he was instructed to scout terrorists in Syria, he turned to Israeli territory and began to “scout” kibbutzim (agricultural communes in Israel), which, to be honest, didn’t have a damn thing - neither terrorists nor Israeli military.
The trivial situation forced the Israelis to talk with the Russian military on hotline. But the Russian headquarters were not yet aware of the “feat of the intelligence officer” described above and said that the UAVs were not theirs. As a result, the Israelis tried to shoot him down - anti-aircraft missile system"Patriot". However, this was not possible. The first missile was unable to hold the target with its homing head, but the second simply exploded not close enough - and the UAV calmly continued its flight. And even a couple of F-16s raised to intercept could not cope with this matter.
The funniest thing in this story is that the unknown hero-operator never noticed the serious efforts (three attempts!) of the Israeli side to shoot down his drone. Only after some time did he return the device to Syrian territory, where he continued reconnaissance. There was a storm of indignation in the Israeli press.
This whole comical situation has exposed a big problem with modern air defense and aviation: drones are cheap, but difficult to shoot down. They are small in size, made mainly of plastic, which is why they are almost invisible on radar. Patriot missiles weigh a third of a ton and have a complex homing head, which is why each launch costs three million dollars. The slob operator cost Israel six million dollars, as well as wasted F-16 flight time. To understand: the T-90 tank costs three million dollars on the world arms market. That is, the humble hero-operator "swindled" the IDF into a couple of good tanks!
But even if the Patriot had shot down our UAV with the first missile, it would have hit Israel harder than Russia. After all Russian drone much cheaper than one American-made air defense missile. As American General David Perkins noted this spring, “If I were an enemy [of the United States], I would think: “Hey, I should buy quadcopters on eBay for three hundred bucks with all my money and let the Patriots shoot them down!”
And a year later, in August 2017, information appeared that How the Pantsir copes with drones. It turned out that he shot down three Israeli Herons, one American RQ-21 and one Turkish UAV. Why did the Tula product manage to do what much more failed? expensive planes and air defense systems?
The reasons are quite banal. A large multi-channel dual-band radar at the Pantsir operating range (up to 20 kilometers) turned out to be the best remedy guidance than the Patriot homing head, which, whatever one may say, is smaller in size and has different good conditions for work. In addition, the Pantsir has a redundant optical target detection and tracking system. As a result, he dealt with drones with missiles that cost many times less than three million dollars per launch. One launcher of an American anti-aircraft missile system is two dozen times more expensive than one Pantsir. That is, it also cannot cover the same number of objects.
Until recently, the West seemed to be a partner, so the state did not invest in the development of air defense systems. Only exports allowed the Tula KBP to find funds to create one of the best anti-aircraft missile systems in the world. Now their presence allows Russia to shoot down targets that in practice turned out to be too tough for either the Patriots or the F-16.
Based on the experience of World War II, it became clear: our infantry and navy were sorely lacking the means of self-defense against enemy aircraft. The highest price was paid for this, and the Soviet generals did not want to repeat such a mistake. Therefore, the means soon appeared: the Shilka with a radar and a quadruple 23-mm cannon satisfied this task for quite a long time. Problems began with the advent of mass-produced and cheap air-to-surface missiles, and then guided bombs.
With a bunch of such bombs, an aircraft can attack a target from beyond the reach of tactical anti-aircraft missile systems - and this whole bunch must be shot down with something
For example, American JDAM guided bombs can be dropped at a distance of up to 28 kilometers from the target - and they will still fall no further than a few meters from it, ensuring a reliable defeat. Neither the Shilka (destruction range 2.5 kilometers, height 1.5 kilometers) nor the more modern Tunguska (3.5 kilometers and 8.0 kilometers, respectively) can do anything with this. An Apache helicopter or an American attack aircraft, in theory, could rise up from the folds of the terrain, throw a guided missile at the same Tunguska and immediately disappear, while mobile air defense systems would have to survive under a missile attack.
“He was absolutely not needed by his homeland”
It all started in 1990 with the Roman anti-aircraft missile system, which was ordered on the personal initiative of General V.F. Margelov for the needs of... Airborne Forces. Yes, this is very strange. Although the “Roman” was not very suitable for landing, the Airborne Forces understood that their people behind enemy lines with their MANPADS would not fight much: enemy helicopters and planes would be able to shoot them from a height and from a distance without losses. Therefore, Margelov made a request to A.G. Shipunov, already then a very well-known head of the Tula Instrument Design Bureau (KBP).
It was possible to bring for testing a complex with 12 missiles with a range of up to 12 kilometers, a strike height of up to 8 kilometers and a pair of 30-mm 2A72 cannons (known from the BMP). All this was done by landing. It was the beginning of the 90s, the military had neither money nor understanding that Russia would ever have to fight with developed Western-type states. Of course, they didn’t have much interest in the new car. They tried to offer air defense for the future Pantsir. Ultimately, they refused there too, saying that “the complex cannot fire while moving,” and its range did not exceed 12 kilometers. True, this was much better than several kilometers of Tunguska.
As Valery Slugin noted later, chief designer KBP for air defense systems, real reasons the refusals were more prosaic: “At first, the Motherland had absolutely no need for him, it had no time for that then - crisis, devastation.”
Fortunately, in the mid-90s, the Tula KBP was not only “freed” from funding, but also given the right to look for customers abroad. A. Shipunov in the second half of that decade came into contact with the military from the UAE, who presented him with demands even more ambitious than those realized in “Roman”. They needed a single machine, which, unlike the Buk, would have radars and missiles combined into one fist. In addition, they agreed on the need for guns that were very suitable for firing at low-flying cruise missiles.
However, 12 kilometers, in their opinion, was not enough - they wanted 20. From this, the area protected by the complex should have almost tripled. In other words, a completely new machine had to be created. Therefore, Shipunov, returning to Russia, demanded radically new rocket with a completely different range. By the way, in this way he won over his competitors - the Emirates were also offered the Russian "Thor" with the range of the first "Pantsir". Its manufacturers did not dare to create a new product with a longer range. It was necessary to change the caliber of the rocket's sustainer stage from 76 to 90 millimeters - otherwise the required range could not be achieved.
Prophet in a foreign country
Only in 2000, a contract was signed with the UAE for $734 million. The funny thing is that before him, the Tula people couldn’t even make what they were going to sell to the Arabs - they simply didn’t have the money for development. “When we signed a contract with the Emirates, it was honestly said that we do not yet have the complex. And they gave us four years,” says a participant in the events, the chief designer of the KBP for air defense systems.
As the reader can see, we have before us, perhaps, the most adventurous story about the creation of a new weapon in the world. The contract was concluded for the purchase of a complex that does not exist in nature, based only on Shipunov’s promises in the style of “everything will happen now.” Probably, only in the hopeless chaos of the 90s, in the absence of internal orders, could Tula gunsmiths take such a desperate step.
The problem was that the future “Pantsir” required a radar with a highly detailed “picture”. In Soviet times, similar complexes used the centimeter range. Millimeter-wave radio waves are shorter, so they can be reflected from smaller parts. In addition, to protect against interference, they decided to make the radar multi-channel with a phased array antenna.
But this is a fundamentally new radar, and who will make it? Other enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex were not too interested in this work - the domestic customer (the military) did not put pressure on them from above. And no particular funding was allocated. In 2000–2004, it was not possible to make a centimeter-millimeter radar. The Tula residents became so desperate that they took on the task of creating it themselves. The calculations were entrusted to people from Baumanka, and the hardware was made themselves. And here is an absolutely fantastic result: the task was completed, a dual-band, especially accurate radar was made. To fully understand how difficult this task is, let us add: many very advanced foreign complexes Air defense with the millimeter range had problems for many years.
Without a king in my head
The basic Pantsir missile looks like a combination of seemingly incompatible qualities. She has a very small mass - 75 kilograms and at the same time quite powerful combat unit(with rod striking elements) - 20 kilograms. In addition, it is also fast - up to 1.3 kilometers per second, but at the same time it costs much less than rockets short range the same S-400 or Patriots. The reason for such a successful set of properties is the absence of unnecessary
Very many modern rockets Air defense is made with a homing head. The Pantsir does not have them - the launcher’s computer sends commands when aiming at a target. The booster section with a diameter of 170 millimeters gives the sustainer section a speed of up to 1.3 kilometers per second and after one and a half seconds, having used up all the fuel, it separates. All that remains is the “thin” marching step with a diameter of only 90 millimeters. It has no engines, flies by inertia and can only change course to a limited extent. But due to its small diameter it loses speed very slowly. Even at 20 kilometers it is still 0.7 kilometers per second.
Due to the absence of a homing head and sustainer stage engines, the missile is not only cheap, but also has a large warhead. Therefore, having been blown up by a radio fuse five meters from a cruise missile or armored aircraft, she reliably violates its integrity with rods.
The eyes and brain of the rocket are on the base vehicle of the Pantsir. In addition to the radar, they include an optical location system, simply - effective cameras with image recognition and the ability to lock on a target. Radar does not distinguish objects close to the ground well - and an Apache emerging from behind a hill or a cruise missile can be only five meters from the surface. Optical system It sees them completely - just like ground targets - and allows you to effectively conduct cannon fire even at such a complex target.
The fruits of adventure
For a long time the country's leadership did not understand that all our attempts to improve relations with the West in the position of junior partners were doomed to failure. The turning point came only in 2006–2007, when accurate intelligence information appeared that the United States was pumping Georgia up with weapons and trainers in hopes of seizing South Ossetia. Only after this (the Munich speech and so on) did the leadership really become seriously concerned about defense. Therefore, in 2006, Russia spent on it like Italy (seventh place in the world), and by 2011, Moscow’s defense spending doubled and reached second place in the world. Gradually, an understanding emerged: the threat of war with the United States requires good protection against cruise missiles.
If our economy were comparable to the American one, we could buy more S-300 and S-400. The problem is that the lightest missile of these complexes - 9M96E1 - weighs 330 kilograms and, accordingly, costs much more than the “armored” one. And its warhead weighs 24 kilograms - only 20 percent more powerful. Alas, the presence of fuel and engines in the sustainer stage “ate” kilograms from the warhead, and the price of such a product is radically higher (including due to the need for a homing head).
In general, the “Pantsir” for short distances turned out to be radically cheaper than the “esoks”, and also had guns that made it possible to shoot down cruise missiles at a short distance - when they emerge from behind the nearest hills and when the launch of an anti-aircraft missile is clearly too late. Therefore, on November 16, 2012, by order of the government, the Pantsir was nevertheless accepted into service. By the way, the corresponding order from the Ministry of Defense was issued only in 2013. Many years have passed since the start of deliveries to foreign customers - and finally the country has benefited from the fruits of KBP’s risky initiative.
Real finest hour the car arrived a little later. After Russia’s involvement in the Syrian conflict and before the introduction of the S-400 Pantsirs into the country, they were the main means of defense of Khmeimim and Russian military facilities in general. They were used specifically as target air defense, and in this capacity they performed extremely well.
Doubling the "Shell"
The developers of the system decided that the developed niche of short-range object-based air defense was too small for them. They wanted more - to enter medium-range systems. This will be done by a new, more efficient radar, with the help of which the target detection range will rise to 75 kilometers, and new missiles - in the same dimensions, but with a flight range of up to 40 kilometers. Doubling the range will allow the complex to quadruple the covered area.
By the way, the naval “Pantsiri-M”, due to its small dimensions and long range, will be installed on the Buyan-class small missile launchers - for the first time giving decent air defense to so many small ships.
Of course, this will require more rockets. Therefore, it is planned to install new short-range missiles on the Pantsir-SM, first presented to the public in August 2017 at the Army-2017 military-technical forum. If standard missiles are placed one at a time in one transport and launch container (the launcher has 12 of them), then four new missiles are placed in one container. That is, the installation will be able to repel the attack of many air attack weapons at once - and carry dozens of missiles instead of today’s 12.
The most important - new system will finally allow you to keep the release distance under fire guided bombs. If earlier an aircraft could safely drop JDAM guided bombs from a distance of more than 20 kilometers without risking a missile, now it will have to do this in the Pantsir fire zone. And this means that bomb attacks on what is covered by this anti-aircraft missile system the area will become an extremely difficult and risky activity. Missile launches from aircraft are still possible - but missiles of the required range will be much larger and more expensive than guided bombs of the same power.
War as a criterion of truth
Very often the military Peaceful time They make demands on weapons that turn out to be unnecessary in war. At the same time, they do not notice the really necessary innovations. This is exactly what happened before World War II, when the USSR did not want to adopt automatic weapons. They say that the cartridge for it is weaker, the bullet flies close, the accuracy and range are not the same - a weapon for bank robbers, not for the military. Automatic fire in the army was quite seriously considered less important than range. The results are known: the Finnish war quickly brought closer Soviet commanders With real life. It turned out that a soldier shoots very rarely at a kilometer, but very often at a hundred meters and closer. Unfortunately, similar stories are repeated today.
When Pantsir was put into service in 2012, a number of military personnel were against it. V.V. Belotserkovsky and I.A. Razin was dedicated whole report disadvantages of the complex. Too much simple rocket(without homing), the wheeled chassis is too unstable, preventing the guns from firing while moving, cannot shoot down ballistic missiles, and so on and so forth. The question inevitably arises: could the Tula air defense system even have appeared if the money for its development had been provided by the Russian, and not the Arab, military? Have UAE customers turned out to be more far-sighted than their domestic counterparts?
The Syrian campaign has put everything in its place. It was “discovered” that complexes covering rear targets do not have to fire from the march at all - only from a standstill, with sliding supports that increase stability. That a “brainless” missile without homing successfully shoots down drones cheaply, but the “big-headed” Patriot missile cannot do this - but its unsuccessful launches cost millions of dollars apiece.
“It turned out” that Pantsirs are not used alone in an open field, but in conjunction with the S-400, which can shoot down enemy long-range missiles. And also the fact that such missiles are not used against our troops in real wars at all - because only the developed countries, who for some reason are somewhat afraid to fight with us. In general, it turned out that Pantsir, for all its apparent simplicity and cheapness, coped with a number of parameters much better more expensive and sophisticated complexes. The fact that its range can be dramatically increased by creating systems with fundamentally different capabilities shows that the potential of a “simple” missile is still far from exhausted.
The Russian Pantsir-S anti-aircraft missile and gun system is an unsurpassed weapon in the air defense system, according to a military analyst for the publication The National Interest. In his opinion, in Syria this air defense missile system has gained fame as the most effective means of countering drone attacks, so the lack of an analogue of such a complex in the United States is a significant drawback of American air defense. About unique characteristics“Shell” - in the RT material.
S-400 air defense system and self-propelled anti-aircraft missile and gun complex "Pantsir-S1" (right) during combat duty at a Russian air base in Syria RIA Novosti
Armed forces The United States lacks an effective short-range air defense system like the Russian Pantsir-S anti-aircraft missile and gun system. This conclusion was reached by American military expert Sebastian Roblin in an article published in The National Interest magazine.
According to the analyst, the drone attack on Russian military facilities carried out on January 5 will sooner or later be repeated, but terrorist UAVs may already be directed at American bases. Meanwhile, the United States is deprived of an anti-aircraft complex that is capable of repelling a simultaneous attack from several UAVs.
“The US armed forces do not have a short-range air defense system similar to the Pantsir. This is due to the fact that ground troops accustomed to relying on the ability of the Air Force to neutralize all air threats. Russian ground forces, on the contrary, always expect an attack from the air - and therefore have such a diverse arsenal of air defenses,” writes Roblin.
Director of the Air Defense Museum in Balashikha, military expert Yuri Knutov, agrees with the point of view of his American colleague from The National Interest. According to him, since cold war The United States tried not to engage in combat without ensuring complete air supremacy. In the USSR (and in Russia), on the contrary, they placed emphasis on the development of defensive systems.
“Russian military air defense, to which Pantsir belongs, is rightfully considered the best in the world. We have always been forced to take care of countering enemy high-tech aircraft. Participation in local conflicts gave our designers invaluable experience, which helped create effective anti-aircraft systems and radar equipment,” Knutov said in an interview with RT.
"Efficiency - cost"
On the night of January 5-6, Pantsir-S crews repelled an attack by militant drones on the Khmeimim airbase and the Navy logistics support point in Tartus. The complexes hit 7 drones out of 13, the remaining six devices were disabled by electronic warfare (EW).
- Anti-aircraft missile and gun system 96K6 "Pantsir-S1" during demonstration exercises at the Alabino training ground at the international military-technical forum "Army-2016"
- Evgeny Biyatov / RIA Novosti
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, in 2017, Pantsirs shot down 16 drones and 53 shells jet systems volley fire(MLRS) militants.
"S-400, S-300V and "Pantsir" complexes together with fighter aircraft ensured complete superiority of our aerospace forces in Syrian airspace. There was not a single violation of the security zones of the Russian bases in Tartus and Khmeimim,” says the report of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu dated December 22, 2017.
Analyzing attacks on Russian bases, Roblin doubts the ability of US troops to effectively repel jihadist drone attacks on US targets.
Over more than three years of presence in Syria, the United States military has shot down several drones. The destruction of the UAV was carried out by aviation, which led to unreasonably high costs for fuel and missile weapons. From an economic point of view, this method of combating drones is too wasteful, the analyst points out.
“American missiles are several times more expensive than their Russian counterparts. This is, in principle, a redundant weapon for defeating homemade terrorist drones. At the moment, Pantsir is the best means of combating UAVs in terms of “effectiveness - cost,” noted Knutov.
On one combat platform
Among American military air defense systems, the Centurion artillery system of Raytheon Corporation is closest in functionality to the Pantsir. It includes a 20-mm six-barreled M61A1 Vulcan cannon and a three-dimensional radar. All weapons are placed on a four-axle HEMTT A3 army truck.
Centurion is capable of destroying large-caliber mines, multiple launch rocket systems, UAVs, armored vehicles and shelters. However, the range of destruction of M61A1 targets is limited to 2 km.
The combat radius of the Pantsir-S in conventional equipment exceeds 12 km, and the modernized versions can fire at a range of up to 20-40 km. The Russian air defense missile system is designed to intercept all types of low-flying targets and destroy ground equipment, including tanks (if a projectile hits the side).
- Crew of the universal short-range anti-aircraft missile and gun system "Pantsir-S1" during a comprehensive training on fire control and units of the 5th combined arms army of the Far Eastern Military District at the Sergeevsky training ground in the Primorsky Territory
- Vitaly Ankov / RIA Novosti
The main feature of the Pantsir-S is that it is equipped with both anti-aircraft guns (30-mm 2A38M assault rifles) and missile weapons (57E6E installations). Along with the Tor-M2 anti-aircraft missile system, Pantsir is the only air defense system capable of firing at targets on the move.
“Only our country was able to realize the excellent idea of placing artillery and missile weapons on one combat platform. This was an extremely successful move. The Americans, as far as I know, are forced to artificially form such an anti-aircraft battery, placing artillery and missile guns nearby,” Knutov emphasized.
The result of painstaking work
Roblin drew attention to the great popularity of Pantsir in the foreign market. Russian MANPADS were purchased by Algeria, Iraq, Syria, the UAE, Oman, Jordan and Brazil. The price of one complex is $13-15 million. total cost export contracts exceed $1.5 billion.
Instrument Design Bureau (Tula) together with other enterprises defense complex is modernizing the Pantsir line. Since the end of 2016, the Ministry of Defense has been purchasing Pantsir-S2. Since February 2017, these complexes have been responsible for the air defense of the naval base in Vladivostok.
- The Pantsir-SA anti-aircraft missile and gun system based on the DT-30 all-terrain vehicle at the final rehearsal of the military parade in Moscow dedicated to the 72nd anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.
- Alexey Nikolsky / RIA Novosti
In 2017, the VKS received over 200 Pantsir-S combat kits, including modernized versions. In 2019, the development of Pantsir-SM will be completed.
The updated air defense missile systems feature more advanced radar equipment, an expanded range of targets and an increased range of destruction. Thus, Pantsir-S2 intercepts not only cruise missiles, but also ballistic missiles.
Roblin believes that an important advantage of the Pantsirs is the ability to function at extremely high and low temperatures. For example, in Syria Russian MANPADS They are on combat duty at temperatures of +50°C, and in the Arctic - at -50°C.
“The incredible characteristics of the Pantsir were the result of very long and painstaking work by Russian designers. First prototype was assembled in 1994, but the complex was adopted for service only in 2012. However, we see that the invested money and labor brought the result that the military was seeking,” Knutov noted.
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MOSCOW, January 22 – RIA Novosti. The Russian anti-aircraft missile and gun complex (ZRPK) of the near-air defense zone "Pantsir" is the best in the world in terms of cost and effectiveness, Vladimir Korovin, an expert at the Center for Military-Political Studies at MGIMO of the Russian Foreign Ministry, told RIA Novosti on Monday.
The Russian Pantsir-S air defense missile system is an ideal weapon for repelling massive attacks using drones, which the United States has no analogues, writes National Interest. This complex, also known by the NATO code designation SA-22 Greyhound, is the successor to such air defense systems as Shilka and Tunguska. The Pantsir, built on a truck chassis for greater mobility, is armed with two 30mm cannons, each capable of firing up to 40 rounds per second, as well as 12 anti-aircraft missiles.
During the conflict in Syria, these complexes were repeatedly hit by various missiles and drones - for example, in December last year they shot down two missiles fired by militants at the Khmeimim airbase, the article notes. “Shells” in Syria have not attracted as much attention from analysts and journalists as the S-400 air defense system, largely due to the fact that this system has a short range, the publication writes. It acts as the last line of defense as part of the air defense, and is also responsible for countering low-flying aircraft, helicopters, drones and missiles. This ability acquires in modern conditions key value, the publication notes.
"Pantsir" is the best today in terms of the "cost-effectiveness" criterion. Indeed, an outstanding development of the domestic military-industrial complex. The work began back in the 1980s by the Tula Instrument Design Bureau under the leadership of the great Arkady Georgievich Shipunov, who, in the difficult years for the Russian defense industry, was able to carry out this work, develop and complete it. Moreover, including with the participation of foreign financial resources,” Korovin said.
According to him, when the contract for Pantsir was signed with the United United Arab Emirates, this allowed the work to be completed. “Currently, the complex shows what it was created for. The ideal weapon is both a cannon channel and a missile channel,” the expert noted.
He emphasized that it is impossible to solve all today’s problems with one complex. “The same Israelis created the Iron Dome system, and they, for example, are fighting to ensure that the cost of a rocket fired at an unguided missile flying into Israeli territory is lower. This does not always work out,” Korovin added.
In his opinion, along with the Pantsir, the Russian Armed Forces should be equipped with a variety of air defense and electronic warfare systems, including smaller missiles.
“For example, the American corporations Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman have been working for more than ten years on missiles weighing only a few kilograms, which are designed to intercept small-sized ballistic targets such as mines. Pantsir can shoot at mines, but here again the question of cost ratio arises and efficiency," the expert said.
There are already sea and arctic versions of the Pantsir. This will increase the effectiveness of Russian naval and land air defense systems located in the North, Korovin added.
According to the National Interest, the US armed forces do not have a system similar to the Pantsir, since the ground forces rely on being able to eliminate all threats from the air American aviation. However, the attack by militant drones on the Russian Khmeimim airbase in Syria shows that such systems are necessary, since several patrol aircraft will have a difficult time repelling a massive drone attack. In the future, most likely, these attacks themselves will become much larger, the author of the publication believes.
On the night of January 6, international terrorists attempted to attack the Khmeimim airbase and the Russian Navy logistics center in Tartus, launching 13 attack drones. The Russian military was able to seize control of six devices, and seven destroyed the Pantsir-S complexes.
Not only the S-200 and Buk air defense systems, but also the Pantsir-S anti-aircraft missile and gun systems (ZRPK) took part in repelling recent Israeli raids on targets in Syria, Izvestia reports.
According to the newspaper, citing the Syrian Ministry of Defense, “On February 10, the country’s air defense forces had to repel a massive attack using air-launched cruise missiles, while the main targets of the Syrian anti-aircraft gunners were not aircraft, but air-to-ground missiles launched outside the country’s airspace.” "
The first attack destroyed eight of the 11 Israeli missiles detected, while the second attack of seven missiles destroyed five. The only plane that entered the country’s airspace was shot down by our anti-aircraft missile system, a Syrian officer told the publication.
The interlocutor, however, refused to specify which specific air defense system was used to hit the F-16I Sufa fighter that crashed on Israeli territory, but noted that during the raid “all Syrian crews acted independently.”
According to him, this could not have been achieved “without the previously provided assistance Russian specialists, which restored the technical readiness of the S-125, S-200 and Buk complexes, and also retrained the Syrian military.”
The February 10 incident was not the first in recent days. A source in the Syrian General Staff told Izvestia about this. The information was confirmed by an interlocutor in the Russian military department.
On February 7, Israeli Air Force aircraft, violating the state border of Syria, launched eight air-to-ground missiles at the building of the National Science Center in the city of Salamiya, Hama province. Then the Pantsir-S, S-200 and Buk complexes destroyed six missiles. The remaining two fell in the area of the National Science Center without causing significant damage, a military source said.
As representatives of the Israeli Ministry of Defense previously reported, “the situation escalated after an Iranian drone was discovered arriving from Jordan at around four o’clock in the morning on Saturday (February 10). The reconnaissance UAV was intercepted by an Apache helicopter. The Israeli Air Force launched an air raid to destroy the drone's control station. It was located deep in the SAR territory near the city of Palmyra.
Israel used cruise missiles to attack. These are very difficult targets flying at low altitude. To intercept them, not only prepared calculations are required, but also centralization, as well as high level management. Of the 26 targets, 19 were intercepted. It turns out that Syrian air defense demonstrated an effectiveness close to 0.8. And this is a very high figure, the former commander told the newspaper anti-aircraft missile forces Russian Federation Lieutenant General Alexander Gorkov.
In total, the Syrian air defense forces are armed with 8 divisions of the S-200 air defense system, supplied from the USSR, and about 20 Buk complexes of various modifications. The last large batch of eight Buk M2E version was transferred to Damascus in 2011. In addition, in 2013-2015, Russia supplied Damascus with over three dozen Pantsir air defense missile systems, including the latest “S” modification.
The development of the Pantsir-ME short-range naval anti-aircraft missile and artillery system (ZRAK) has been completed, it has already been put into serial production, the general director of the Rostec state corporation told TASS. Sergey Chemezov. The presentation of the complex will take place this year at the International Naval Show in St. Petersburg, which will be held from June 28 to July 2.
The Tula Instrument Engineering Design Bureau began work on the Pantsir in the early 2000s. In 2008, the first modification was put into service mobile complex"Pantsir-S1", based on a wheeled chassis. Since then, Tula has significantly expanded the range of this complex, making this weapon universal. Pantsir-SA is designed for use in the Arctic. Relatively recently, the Pantsir-S2, which has improved characteristics, entered service. Tests of the Pantsir-SM, which managed to double its firing range, will soon be completed, bringing it to 40 km.
And the marine complex intended for installation on Russian ships, began mass production in 2015. This is Pantsir-M. Well, Pantsir-ME, which Chemezov announced, is an export modification of the ship complex. It is he who will be presented on Wednesday at the St. Petersburg salon by a potential foreign buyer. And, undoubtedly, it will be in demand, since the entire line of Pantsirs is significantly superior to foreign analogs in both reaction speed and shooting accuracy.
The commercial success of this development can be predicted on the basis that land-based systems are actively being purchased by Algeria, Brazil, the UAE, Oman, Iran, Syria... To date, more than 120 units of Pantsir-S1E have been sold. And the orders keep coming.
By the way, on June 22 of the year before last, the Syrian military, using the Pantsir-S1E complex, shot down a Turkish F-4 Phantom fighter that had invaded the country’s airspace. Moreover, the “Phantom” was by no means antediluvian, used by the Americans during Vietnam War. It was modernized at the Israeli aircraft factory, equipped with the latest radio-electronic equipment. The aircraft was also equipped with electronic warfare systems capable of resisting air defense systems of previous generations. With the Pantsir, which entered service in 2008, this number did not work.
The export modification of the marine Pantsir, the start of mass production of which is being announced by the head of Rostec, is close in characteristics to the land modification Pantsir-S1, intended for use exclusively in Russian troops. “Pantsir-M”, which is “for internal use”, has absorbed the developments introduced into the Pantsir-S2 air defense missile system. Although it is impossible to talk about the identity of these two complexes, since they are intended for use in different conditions conducting combat operations. Even working in aggressive conditions marine environment applies to "Pantsir-M" (as well as to "Pantsir-ME") special requirements. Also in offshore complexes there is an increased requirement for mechanical stabilization, which should ensure normal operation in conditions of increased sea state.
One of the main differences between Pantsir and short-range air defense systems and air defense systems of previous generations is that it approached the task of detecting and tracking targets just as seriously as when creating “large” complexes, that is, medium and medium air defense systems. long range, for example, "Buk" or S-400.
The complex uses a detection radar with a phased array antenna (PA), which has higher target detection accuracy and speed. There are also two radars with phased array tracking of captured targets. Maximum range target detection - 80 km. The tracking radar allows you to hit targets with an ESR of 0.1 sq.m. at a distance of 20 km. The maximum range for hitting targets with Pantsir-M missiles is 30 km. The target targeting speed using actuators is 100 degrees per second.
Besides Radar complex It also has an optical location station (OLS) operating in the infrared and visible range. Processing of data received from radars, targeting missiles, and firing from a gun mount occurs automatically without the participation of operators. The role of OLS in the complex is great. Firstly, it is a passive element that does not emit radio waves. Therefore, when the radars are turned off, it ensures the complex’s secrecy for enemy radars and its anti-radar missiles. Secondly, it practically covers the range that is considered the area of responsibility of short-range air defense systems. This zone extends over 20 km, and the Pantsir OLS detects and captures enemy cruise missiles at a distance of 18 km.
Pantsir is the fastest short-range missile system in the world. Reaction time - 3-5 seconds. While at American complexes, which will be discussed below, 10 seconds. The interval between missile launches is 1.5 seconds. The same amount is spent on capturing new targets. In total, Pantsir-M contains: launcher 8 missiles. There are 32 missiles in the below-deck storage.
The maximum altitude for hitting targets is 15 km, range is 30 km. Maximum speed intercepted targets can reach 1000 m/s. Targets with EPR from 0.03 sq.m. up to 0.06 sq.m. are hit by one missile with a probability of 0.7. The target that is minimally noticeable for the complex has an ESR of 2−3 cm, which makes it possible to combat small-sized objects up to artillery ammunition. The location system simultaneously tracks 4 targets. The missile has radio command guidance to the target. Fuses - contact and non-contact, triggered at a distance of 7-9 m from the target. The mass of the warhead is 20 kg.
The artillery unit is a twin 2A38M anti-aircraft machine gun of 30 mm caliber. Rate of fire - 5000 rounds per minute. Ammunition - 1000 rounds. Effective firing range - 4 km.
NATO systems
In NATO countries, the idea of combining missile weapons with artillery installations V anti-aircraft complexes ship-based has not become widespread. Therefore, when comparing Pantsir-M with foreign analogues, it will be necessary to separately consider missile and artillery systems.
At the moment, the US and German Navy are receiving products just developed jointly by German and American companies anti-aircraft missiles short-range RAM Block II, used on the Sea RAM air defense system. We are talking about trial operation; the missile is expected to be put into service next year.
The missile has a two-channel guidance system - radio command, as well as from a thermal seeker. The maximum firing range is 10 km, the altitude of hitting targets is from 4 m to 10,000 m. The maximum speed of targets hit is 700 m/s, that is, 2.2 M. This missile can fight the Granit anti-ship missile system, whose speed reaches 4 M extremely difficult. The reaction of the complex is 5-10 seconds, which is twice as bad as that of Pantsir-M. Ammunition for the Sea RAM air defense system is 11 missiles.
The British Sea Wolf short-range air defense system, which has been in operation since 1980, has approximately the same dynamic capabilities. It is equipped with two missiles whose speed exceeds 2 M. The maximum destruction range is 10 km, height is 3 km. The capabilities of the radar are significantly weaker than those of Russian analogue. The bomber can be seen at a distance of 70 km, but targets with an EPR of 0.2 sq.m. detected at a distance of only 10 km. Although, of course, with such a firing range this is not so significant. The disadvantages include the bulkiness and very heavy weight of the complex. The fully equipped Sea Wolf is installed only on frigates. Corvettes are content with a truncated version with fewer capabilities.
But, perhaps, the most successful Western sea-based short-range air defense system was made in France. This is Naval Crotale. Moreover, it was adopted for service in 1971. But as a result of a number of modernizations, the complex is quite modern in terms of dynamics and speed capabilities. The rocket accelerates to 2.6 M with overloads during maneuvering of up to 35 g. Reaction time - 6 seconds. The missile is guided by radio command. The interception range and altitude are quite moderate - 10 km and 6 km, respectively. Our "Pantsir-ME" will have to seriously compete with the French " Rattlesnake", as the name of the complex is translated, since it is very popular in the foreign market.
The Phalanx anti-aircraft artillery system was introduced into service with the US Navy in 1980. This is a six-barrel anti-aircraft machine gun of 20 mm caliber. Rate of fire - 3000 rounds/min. Effective firing range - 1.5 km, height - 1.5 km. It is assumed that the complex is capable of hitting targets with a speed of 2 M.
The Dutch ZAK "Goalkeeper" was put into mass production in the late 80s. It, like all similar complexes, uses detection and guidance radar. The Dutch took as a basis a 7-barrel 30 mm caliber cannon from the American A-10 attack aircraft and “transplanted” it onto ships. The rate of fire reaches 4200 rounds/min, the effective firing range is 3000 m.
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