Ukrainian forces target Russia's prized Pantsir systems in Kursk
The Ukrainians have decided to withdraw from the northern part of the occupied territory in the Kursk region. The current defence line now includes the area around the city of Sudzha. However, this does not prevent them from causing losses to the Russians in very valuable equipment, which often explodes in a spectacular manner. We explain why the Pantsir-S1 systems are very important for Russia.
The video below shows the moment of impact by something that triggered a dramatic explosion, resulting in the self-ignition of several rocket engines that flew off in random directions. The event was reportedly recorded by a Russian soldier stationed in the Kursk region.
Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft systems - a Russian export hit financed by Arab money
The Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft systems, introduced to the Russian armed forces in 2012, represent Russia's latest solution for combating drones, cruise missiles, and helicopters, succeeding the expensive 2K22 Tunguska systems.
Interestingly, the Pantsir-S1 system, a Russian export success of the last decade, would not have been developed without the financial support from Arab countries in the 1990s. The United Arab Emirates (UAE), in particular, was searching for an artillery-missile system and was willing to finance Russian development efforts, receiving the first Pantsir-S1 systems mounted on German trucks in the early 2000s.
Pantsir-S1 - a valuable Russian system for defending against drones
The Pantsir-S1 is equipped with two radars: one for target detection and the other for weapon guidance. It includes two 2A38M automatic cannons with a calibre of 30 mm, each capable of firing at a rate of up to 2,500 rounds per minute, along with anti-aircraft missile launchers.
The gun section of the system offers a wide range of ammunition and allows targeting at a distance of up to 4 kilometres at a very low cost, which is crucial in combatting Ukrainian "corn bombers" or other drones. The missile section contains 12 missiles, grouped in sets of six, facilitating the ability to engage multiple targets simultaneously. According to the Russians, the command-guided missiles can target at a distance of up to 20 kilometres and at an altitude of up to 15 kilometres.
The system is not a "fire-and-forget" type because the operators must guide the missiles until impact. Moreover, compared to modern systems like Skynex, the Russian solution does not use programmable ammunition. Additionally, there have been recordings showing that the Pantsir-S1 can struggle with intercepting modern stealth technology cruise missiles such as the Storm Shadow or small drones like the Polish Warmate, or even DIY FPV types.
