Russia’s air defence missile and artillery system Pantsyr-S has fought off ground targets, including terrorist vehicles, with its guns in Syria.
The Pantsyr-S comprises 12 surface-to-air missiles and two 30mm guns, which can each fire up to 40 rounds per second, Russian news agency TASS reported.
Shipunov Design Bureau of Instrument Engineering Air Defense Systems chief designer Valery Slugin was quoted by the news agency as saying: “The Pantsyr can shield itself, for example, against an infantry fighting vehicle or a jihad mobile and this is how its guns were used in Syria and this use proved to be effective.”
Slugin said that the anti-aircraft missile / gun system is capable of hitting surface targets on the sea if it is installed on the coast, and can strike air targets mostly with missiles.
The system has been designed to target rockets of multiple launch rocket systems, mortar shells, cruise missiles, tactical ballistic and hypersonic weapons.
It features a new Mach 5 hypersonic missile that makes it more lethal compared to systems that have only subsonic missiles.
Two Pantsir-S divisions are deployed in Syria, one located at Hmeimim airbase in Russia, and the other in Syria.
Slugin further added: “I believe that Pantsyr will be able to attack surface targets on the sea, too. If placed on the coast, preferably as high as possible, the system will be able to attack surface ships ten kilometres away.”
Pantsyr-S’ radar station and missiles are capable of fighting mini-drones, according to Slugin.
Recently, Russia said it would deliver up to six Pantsir-S1 air defence missile systems to Serbia as part of a contract between the two countries.
