Expert talks about the advantages of the Russian air defense system “Pantsir-S“

Pantsir-S ground-deployed anti-aircraft missile system (ZRPK).

Pantsir-S - the perfect weapon against massive air attacks, the US has no analogues, the National Interest magazine said. This complex, also known under the NATO code name SA-22 Greyhound - is the successor to such air defense systems as Shilka and Tunguska. Pantsir-S is mounted on a highly mobile truck chassis, and includes two 30-mm cannons (each can fire up to 40 rounds per second) and 12 anti-aircraft missiles.

During the conflict in Syria, the complex has repeatedly shot down various attack missiles and drones - for example, in December last year it shot down two missiles fired by militants at the Hmeymim airbase, the article says. The system serves as the last line of defense in the Air Defense System and is responsible for destroying low-flying planes, helicopters, reconnaissance aircraft and missiles. This capability is becoming increasingly important in modern battlefield conditions. "Pantsir-S" is currently the best in terms of "cost-effectiveness".

"Indeed, it was a remarkable development of the country's defense industry. Work began in the 1980s at the Tula Instrument Design Bureau under the leadership of the great Arkady G. Shipunov, who in the difficult years of the Russian defense industry made a breakthrough, developed and completed the work. Moreover, there was also the participation of foreign financial partners," Korovin said.

According to him, the contract "Pantsir-S" signed with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has allowed to complete the work.

"The complex has now shown itself to be a perfect weapon - both artillery and missiles," the expert said.

There are already "Pantsir-S" variants for the navy and the Arctic. This will increase the effectiveness of air defense weapons systems on Russian ships and ground forces operating in the North, Korovin added.

According to the National Interest, the US Army does not have a similar system in its arsenal, hoping that all aerial threats will be eliminated by the US Air Force. However, the attack on the Russian Hmeymim airbase in Syria by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) showed that this system is necessary, because a few patrol aircraft cannot cope in the event of a massive UAV attack. In the future, similar attacks will become more widespread, the author of the article believes.

On the night of January 6, international terrorists attempted to attack the Hmeymim airbase and the Russian Navy's logistics center in Tartus, using 13 attack UAVs. The Russian military took control of 6 of them, and 7 were destroyed by the Pantsir-S complex.