MOSCOW, December 1. /TASS/. Russia’s improved Pantsyr-S1M surface-to-air missile/gun system with an extended strike range will be capable of shooting down combat drones even before they launch their munitions, Editor-in-Chief of the Arsenal of the Fatherland magazine Viktor Murakhovsky told TASS on Wednesday.

"Drones feature low radar-cross section and their detection range is frequently shorter than their armament operational range. The Pantsyr’s operational range has been extended and drones are identified quite clearly within the engagement area," the military expert said.

However, some drones are so small and are outfitted with electric motors that they actually cannot be detected by their infrared signature or by a radar, Murakhovsky pointed out.

"The use of optoelectronic devices in new air defense systems must be based not only on the thermal but also on the optical contrast, for example," the expert said.

However, new air defense systems alone should not be viewed as a panacea, he emphasized.

"Counter-drone measures imply creating multi-layered air defenses integrated with an electronic warfare system," Murakhovsky stressed.

"It should also be borne in mind that even quite a large drone is still a very cheap item compared to an aircraft and, of course, the focus should be on cutting the cost of surface-to-air missiles employed against such cheap aerial vehicles. This work has been carried out and resulted in creating an inexpensive small-size missile for another Russian air defense system named Tor," the military expert added.

Upgraded Pantsyr

Industrial Director of the Armaments Cluster at the state tech corporation Rostec Bekkhan Ozdoyev told TASS on November 30 that the upgraded Pantsyr-S1M surface-to-air missile/gun system was capable of fighting all types of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including strike drones.

Deputy CEO of the High Precision Weapons Company (part of Rostec) Sergey Mikhailov told TASS at the EDEX 2021 international arms show in Egypt on November 30 that the upgraded Pantsyr had the potential to become the basis for tactical air defenses.

"The Pantsyr-S1M can be used as the basis for building an effective modular air defense network capable of shielding any military units from small-size and strike drones, precision weapons and, of course, military aviation - aircraft and helicopters. The system fully complies with the present-day A2/AD [anti-access/area denial] principles [an air defense system used to prevent an enemy from penetrating into vital areas]," Mikhailov emphasized

The Pantsyr-S1M has received new hypersonic surface-to-air missiles that has boosted its striking range from 20 km to 30 km, its operational altitude from 15 km to 18 km and its engagement area threefold. Along with new missiles, the system can also fire missiles of the Pantsyr-S1 launcher. The upgrade of the Pantsyr-S1M has also improved its stealth, jamming resistance and the rate of fire.

Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport signed the first contract on the delivery of Pantsyr-S1M anti-aircraft missile/gun systems at the Army 2021 international arms show on August 25.