Pantsir-ME (Anti-aircraft missile and artillery complex)

Main article: Shell (air defense systems)

2024: Use in the RWT area

On April 7, 2024, it became known that the Russian military began to use the Pantsir-M serial naval anti-aircraft missile system (SAM) in the special operation zone. It is used to destroy enemy missiles, in particular, the stealthy long-range air-launched Storm Shadow cruise missile (launched from aircraft).

The successful use of the Pantsir-M system was announced by Oleg Ryazantsev, General Director of the High-Precision Complexes holding (part of the Rostec state corporation). According to him, against the background of a special military operation, the holding increased the production of a number of samples of weapons and equipment. So, in 2023, growth in relation to previous years reaches from 5 to 20 times in individual positions.

source = Rosoboronexport

The ship, while on combat duty, hit the Storm Shadow missile. That is, we can already talk about the first effective successful use of the Pantsir-M serial complex against the Storm Shadow cruise missile, Ryazantsev said.

He noted that the cruise missile is one of the means of defeat that the enemy uses, while the Pantsir-M is "the complex that is designed to combat this kind of threat." According to RIA Novosti, referring to data from open sources, as of the beginning of April 2024, the only ship of the Black Sea Fleet with the Pantsir-M complex is the small missile vessel Cyclone of the project 22800 Karakurt.

At the same time, it is said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been actively using Storm Shadow since 2023, including for striking objects on the territory of Crimea. The rocket is equipped with a turbojet engine and is capable of flying at a speed of Mach 0.8. It is known that a certain number of Storm Shadow missiles were delivered to Ukraine by Britain and France.^[1]

2023: Russian Navy installs Pantsir-ME systems capable of destroying flying drones on all ships

The Russian Navy is trying to install on all ships the Pantsir-ME anti-aircraft missile and artillery complex, capable of destroying flying drones. About this in the holding "High-precision complexes" told on June 22, 2023.

We can stand on any ship, this fleet determines. Now they are trying to put on all ships. This is a new complex, - said the representative of the company (quoted by TASS).

ZRAK "Pantsir-ME"

He added that Pantsir-ME is capable of destroying the same targets as the land version - Pantsir-S. The representative of the holding stressed that the complex can hit anti-ship missiles.

It is also noted that Pantsir-ME has a fully automatic operating mode with the ability to adjust the operator's work. The complex, which has a modular construction principle, can be installed on warships of various classes.

Earlier in June 2023, the chief designer for sea-based anti-aircraft systems of the Shipunov Design Bureau of Instrument Engineering (KBP) Alexander Zhukov said that the ship's Pantsir-M is capable of shooting down targets that fly at ultra-low altitudes.

If we talk about fundamental differences, then the operation group is different, the flight heights of the targets are different altogether. On land, this is usually 50-100 meters, they do not fly lower due to the relief. And at sea - these are heights from three meters and above flights, so anti-ship missiles fly. There are features related to the offshore operations team, "he said.

"Pantsir-M" carries eight ready-made missiles and 32 in stock. The complex also received two guns GSh-6-30 a caliber of 30 millimeters. In 2018, the first small missile ship "Odintsovo" with the sea "Shell" was launched.

In April 2023, Izvestia, citing sources in the Russian Ministry of Defense, reported that the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov would be armed with Pantsir-M complexes, which would replace the Kortiki^[2]

2022: Russian Navy deliveries begin

On October 26, 2022, it became known that the Russian Navy began to receive new Pantsir-ME anti-aircraft missile cannon systems, hitting targets from 20 km.

As the "RIA Novosti industrial director of the arms complex" Rostec Bekhan Ozdoev said, we are talking about serial supplies of the complex. He also said that by the end of October 2022, tests of a small missile ship armed with a marine "Shell" are being completed in the Black Sea.

Russian Navy began to receive new anti-aircraft missile cannon systems

According to Ozdoev, earlier a small missile ship of the project 22800 Odintsovo, which has this air defense system in service, was accepted into the Baltic Fleet.

"Pantsir-ME" was developed on the basis of the land version of "Pantsir-SM." The ship's air defense missile system carries eight anti-aircraft guided missiles and six-barrel assault rifles of 30 millimeters caliber.

"Pantsir-ME" is compatible with various ships and boats of all major classes. The minimum displacement of its carrier is limited to 500 tons; maximum - not defined. At the same time, larger ships can carry several combat modules to more effectively combat threats in different directions.

The complex includes a command module in the form of a detection radar and a control post, a combat module, as well as an ammunition storage system.

The command module includes its own radar station for detecting targets. This product is proposed to be mounted on the superstructure or on the mast of the carrier ship, which should provide the required view of the surrounding space. Data from the radar comes to the control post of the complex. This component is responsible for data processing and target designation development for combat modules. One control post can serve up to four combat modules.

In September 2022, the general director of the Ak Bars shipbuilding corporation, Renat Mistakhov, announced that the Russian Navy would receive the first MRK with the Pantsir-M complex in 2022.^[3]

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