New Anti-Aircraft System Introduced

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A new naval missile and anti-aircraft artillery weapon system, Pantsir-ME, was presented recently by the Russian corporate Rostec’s subsidiary, Tula KBP. The system provides protection against modern air threats, including low-flying and small-size UAVs.

The creation of the new system provides reliable protection for ships against air threats, including protection against low-altitude anti-ship missiles and UAVs. According to defenseworld.net’s report, the key feature of the system is the ability to first open fire on a target with missiles and then use artillery armaments, if the target is not destroyed.

“One of the key imperatives in the strategy of Rostec is the development and creation of new weapons, including anti-aircraft missile systems. The development of this system is a consistent element in the implementation of the strategy. The creation of almost each primary system required brand-new high-tech solutions. As a result, the destructive potential of Pantsir-ME is 3-4 times higher than that of it’s predecessor,” said Rostec CEO, Sergey Chemezov. “The missile intercept zone has been increased from 10 to 20 kilometers in length and from 3 to 15 kilometers in height. All the stages of combat performance are performed in motion.”

The modular design remains intact – 1 command module and up to 4 combat modules depending on ship type, which allows a flexible defence. The combined missile and artillery armaments ensure an effective engagement of all types of targets within the whole range of field conditions and counter-weapons with a potential for further development until 2020 – 2025.

The combat module includes a multifunction radar station with an antenna and an intercept missile with an engagement range of 20 km, which ensures simultaneous engagement of 4 targets, as well as an engagement of new types, updated anti-ship missiles and small-size air threats and surface targets. The combat module can work autonomously and as part of a cell of 4 modules. The system can be installed on ships with a displacement of 300 tonnes and more.