The Russian Navy has, for the first time conducted, from a ship live fire tests of the Pantsir-M surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery system, a naval version of the Pantsir-S1 system. One of the target regions for the export version of Pantsir-ME is the Middle East.
“The crew of the Odintsovo together with the representatives of the industry during the tests successfully performed missile and artillery fire at an air target from the Pantsir-M anti-aircraft missile and gun system. Small-sized M-6 aircraft targets, delivered by the Su-27 fighters of the Baltic Fleet naval aviation, were used as air targets”, – reported the Russian MoD, adding that all the assigned targets were hit.
The live fire tests have been conducted from Baltic Navy’s 22800 Karakurt-class corvette Odintsovo – the first Navy’s platform armed with Pantsir-M.
The distinctive feature of the system is the combination within a single turret mount of missile and artillery weapons and of the integrated radar-optical weapon control system, which increases its combat efficiency as compared to counterparts that have each type of weaponry separately, says the developer and producer KBP Instrument Design Bureau (part of the Rostec’s High-Precision Weapons holding company) on the export-oriented Pantsir-ME system. When repealing massive air raids of high precision weapons almost 100% kill probability of the targets is ensured due to 4-channel guidance system as well as firing at targets at three zones of approach – twice by SAMs and once by the guns with SAM launch interval being 2-3 s., adds the developer. Time of SAM reloading – not more than 68 s.
Internationally the Pantsir-ME was unveiled for the first time at the IDEX 2019 in Abu Dhabi by Rosoboronexport, the Russian state intermediary for military and dual-use exports and imports, celebrating this November its 20th anniversary. According to Rosoboronexport, the Pantsir-ME provides protection from all types of aerial threats, including low-flying anti-ship missiles and UAVs, and is capable of engaging aerial targets flying at a distance of up to 20 kilometers and at an altitude of up to 15 kilometers. The system can be used against land targets as well.
“The current trends in the development of the navies, force the maritime powers to equip their ships with reliable assets to counteract air threats, i.e. cruise missiles, unmanned aerial systems, helicopters and planes. A sophisticated system of countering practically all the possible aerial kill assets has been developed in Russia, and it will be represented at one of the largest world defence exhibitions in Abu Dhabi. Pantsir-ME can be installed on most Russian warships and is very well fit for ships manufactured by other countries. I am confident that it has very good export prospects in the Arab countries, South-East Asia and Latin America,” said Rosoboronexport’s Director General Alexander Mikheev.
22800 Karakurt-class ship is developed by Almaz Central Marine Design Bureau (part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation). The export version of 22800 project is 22800E Karakurt-E. According to Rosoboronexport, Karakurt class ships are capable of achieving and maintaining maritime supremacy at an assigned sea area and of delivering high-precision missile strikes against critical land facilities located at the depth of an enemy’s territory.
Rosoboronexport was established on the 4th November 2000 by a decree of the Russian President Vladimir Putin. It is the only state intermediary in Russia for the exports and imports of the entire range of products, technologies and services of military and dual use.
