Russia announced that its Pantsir-S1 air defense system has been upgraded to intercept rockets from the HIMARS multiple launch system that the US provided to Ukraine.
The commander of the Pantsir-S1 system in the Western Russian military district with the codename Baron on January 25 said that this air defense complex has undergone an upgrade process and received new software that allows it to be capable of intercepting rockets. of HIMARS in the most efficient way.
“We fulfill the goals of protecting military facilities and also civilian infrastructure. Specifically, the Pantsir-S1 has a 360-degree field of view to intercept a variety of aerial targets: Airplanes, helicopters, and helicopters. helicopters, multiple rocket launchers, and even drones,” Baron said.
“This complex can operate on the move and on the move. We have shot down various types of targets, from Bayraktar drones and Tochka-U ballistic missiles. Because of the high-speed HIMARS rocket’s high altitude, so quick reaction is required to make a decision. Pantsir-S1 has been upgraded to attack this target,” he explained.
Late last year, the Russian Defense Ministry said that the Pantsir-S1 short-range air defense system had proven 100% effective in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
This number means that in Russian missions to deploy Pantsir, this complex hit the target to be intercepted.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the Pantsir system was able to detect and destroy many targets of various types, including civilian drones with a small size of only about 30x30cm.
Russia says the Pantsir is equipped with a thermal imaging device that allows air defense troops to determine if a small plastic drone is loaded with explosives.
The first version of the Pantsir was developed during the Soviet era to defend against attacks on airfields, missile silos, command posts, and communications equipment.
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Pantsir was deployed as a short-range defense system for Russian ground forces.
Pantsir’s fire control system (FCS) relies on a dual-band target detection and tracking radar operating in the UHF and EHF (Ultra High Frequency and High Emergency Frequency) ranges.
Dubbed the “beast”, the Pantsir-S1 is designed to detect and destroy all air targets such as aircraft, helicopters, guided bombs, or ballistic missiles flying at an altitude of 5m to 15km in the air. range from 200m to 20km in just 5 seconds.
The radar has a detection range of 32-36km and a tracking range of 24-28km for a target with a radar cross-section (RCS) of 2m². The radar can track surface-to-air targets and missiles in flight.
In addition to radar, FCS also uses an optoelectronic system with a long-wave thermal imager and an infrared direction finder, including digital signal processing and automatic target tracking.
Two independent guidance systems – radar and optoelectronics – allow the Pantsir S1 to attack two targets simultaneously.
The Pantsir S1 system includes 12 radio-guided missiles, two fast-firing 2A38 30mm automatic cannons, electro-optical sensors, and radar. The Pantsir-S1 air defense complex is often used to protect key target areas, residential and military points. According to experts, the Pantsir-S1 system will promote its strengths when attacking the enemy’s low-flying targets.
