Pantsyr

   The Pantsyr (Western reporting name SA-22 Greyhound) is a short-range air defense system. It was designed to protect strategic military and civil point targets. It was originally designed to meet requirements of Russian Air Defense Forces (PVO). This system is capable of engaging a wide variety of aerial targets, such as aircraft, helicopters, ballistic and cruise missiles, guided bombs and UAVs. Developers claim that it is also capable of engaging stealthy aircraft, such as the F-22 and F-35. It was first publicly revealed in 1995. United Arab Emirates was the first customer of this system. Their order was made back in 2000. The system was trialed in 2006. Deliveries to the United Arab Emirates began in 2007. The Pantsyr-S1 is a version of this system, intended for Russian military. The first 10 Pantsyr-S1 air defense systems were delivered to the Russian Air Force in 2010. It was officially adopted in 2012. It is claimed that by 2014 more than 200 of these air defense systems were produced. In 2017 Russia operated 110 Pantsyr-S1 and newer -S2 systems while more units were scheduled to be delivered. It has also been exported to Algeria (104 units in various versions), Iraq (24 units), Oman (up to 12 units), Syria (up to 40 units) and United Arab Emirates (50 units), Ethiopia (small number) and possibly Vietnam. This air defense system was recently ordered by Equatorial Guinea (2 units) and Jordan (50~70). The Pantsyr saw action during the military conflict in Ukraine, Syria and Libya. At least one Syrian Pantsyr system was destroyed in 2018 and at least 2 more were destroyed in 2019 by Israeli air strikes. In 2020 Turkey destroyed a couple of these systems in Libya. Some sources report that at least 15 Emirati Pantsyr systems have been destroyed in Libya, though this was not confirmed. Also there were reports that by 2020 at least 23 Pantsyr air defense systems were destroyed in Syria and Libya. Most of them were destroyed by Turkish unmanned aerial combat vehicles. Interestingly at least 4 Pantsyr systems, including two Ethiopian ones, were struck by a lightning and became unusable. In 2020 United States acquired a single Pantsyr air defense system from Libya. It was originally exported from Russia to United Arab Emirates and was eventually transferred to Libyan National Army, led by Khalifa Haftar.

   The Pantsyr is a further development of the 2S6 Tunguska air defense gun/missile system, based on a tracked chassis. It carries up to 12 surface-to-air missiles in sealed containers. These missiles are ready-to-launch and have a radio-command guidance. The missiles have no seekers. Instead tracking is provided via the launcher vehicle's sensor system. However unlike the Tunguska, the Pantsyr is more of a stationary system, designed to protect point targets.

   The 57E6 missile of the Pantsyr has a two-stage solid-fuel rocket motors. It has a maximum speed of 1 000 m/s (Mach 3). Missiles of this air defense system have a maximum range of 20 km. Minimal range is 1 km. Maximum altitude is 8 km.

   The Pantsyr also has two dual 30 mm guns, similar to those of the Tunguska. These are derivatives of aircraft cannons. Combined rate of fire of these guns is up to 5 000 rounds per minute. These can engage targets up to 4 km away. These guns have a limited capability against ground targets and can even use armor-piercing ammunition to engage armored vehicles. Though this capability is mainly intended for self-defense, as the Pantsyr is generally unarmored and would be extremely vulnerable on the battlefield. A total of 1 400 rounds are carried for these guns.

   This air defense system can fire its missiles on the move, however cannons can be fired only when the vehicle is stationary and jacked on four hydraulic jacks.

   The Pantsyr has a multiple-band target acquisition and tracking system. It detects targets at a range of 30-36 km and has a tracking range of over 24 km. Also there are thermal imaging system and optical tracker. This air defense system can engage two targets simultaneously and is capable of engaging up to 12 targets within one minute. Developers claim that this system has a high jamming resistance. Probability of defeating a single air target is around 60-80%, depending on the target type and firing conditions.

   Some Russian experts report that operational use of this air defense system in Syria revealed that the baseline Pantsyr-S1 struggles to detect small and slow moving targets, such as small UAVs. In one particular case the Pantsyr-S1 expended 13 of its missiles in order to defeat only 3 hostile UAVs.

   The Pantsyr air defense system has a reaction time of only 5-6 seconds. It takes 3 minutes to engage a target from traveling. This system is operated by a crew of three, including commander, operator and driver.

   The Pantsyr-S1 air defense system, that was adopted by the Russian Air Force, is based on a KamAZ-6560 8x8 military truck chassis. Vehicle is powered by a turbocharged diesel engine, developing 400 hp. It has a full-time all-wheel drive and is fitted with a central tyre inflation system.

   First prototype of this air defense system was based on Ural-5323 8x8 truck chassis. Other wheeled chassis were trialed or offered with this system, including KamAZ-6350, MZKT-7930, BAZ-6909 and MAN SX 8x8 truck chassis. The MAN SX45 chassis was used on air defense systems delivered to United Arab Emirates. It is also offered with a tracked GM-532 series chassis of the Tunguska or BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicle chassis. Furthermore it can be deployed in a stationary module or on naval vessels, depending on customer requirements.

   Each Pantsyr combat vehicle can operate is a stand alone mode, without any external support. Up to 3-5 combat vehicles can be used in a battery, where one of the vehicles operates as a command post and sends target data to other vehicles. These combat vehicles can also operate in conjunction with an air defense command post and receive date from early warning radars.

   There is a number of associated support vehicles, such as reloading vehicle, electronic and mechanical maintenance vehicles, mobile workshop and mobile trainer.

Variants

   Pantsyr-S1 is a baseline version, used by the Russian military. It is based on a KamAZ-6560 8x8 military truck chassis. A first batch of 10 Pantsyr-S1 systems was delivered to the Russian Air Force in 2010. It was officially adopted in 2012. The system was based on the KamAZ-6560 truck. It is claimed that by 2014 more than 200 of these air defense systems were produced. In 2017 Russia operated 110 Pantsyr-S1 and newer -S2 systems while more units were scheduled to be delivered.

   Pantsyr-S1E is an export version. Systems exported to United Arab Emirates were mounted on MAN SX45 chassis.

   Pantsyr-S2 is an improved air defense gun/missile system. It has a new tracking radar. It looks like this air defense system entered service with the Russian Army in 2015. The Pantsyr-S2E is its export version. It has been exported to Algeria.

   Pantsyr-SM is an improved air defense gun/missile system. It was first publicly revealed in 2019. It uses new active electronically scanned array radar and has a detection range of 75 km. Also this system uses new missile which has a maximum range of 40 km and can reach altitude of 15 km. That's twice the range and altitude of the baseline 57E6 missile. So the Pantsyr-SM can be seen as a short- and medium-range air defense system. Initial version was based on a K-53958 special wheeled chassis (basically a KamAZ-6560M military truck) with an armored cab. Some sources report that this version has been exported to Algeria.

   Pansyr-M is a naval version of the Pantsyr. A mock up of this system was demonstrated in 2015 and production commenced during the same year. Missiles have a range of 20 km and can reach targets at an altitude of 15 km. The guns have a rangr of 5 km. It can also engage sea-skimming missiles, flying as low as 2 meters above the water. This system can engage four targets simultaneously with missiles and its anti-aircraft guns automatically engage targets that the missiles missed. This air defense system is fully automated. Standard ammunition load includes 32 missiles in a storage and reload system below the deck. The Pantsyr-M system was first used on Karakurt class corvettes that are used by the Russian Navy. This air defense system is much more capable than the previous Russian Kashtan-M naval short-range air defense system.

   Pantsyr-ME is an export version of the Pantsyr-M naval air defense system.

   Pantsyr-SA is based on DT-30PM articulated all-terrain tracked carrier. This air defense system carries 18 missiles. It was designed to operate in arctic conditions.