Russia unveils Pantsir-SMD-E: A revolution in drone defence
According to Defense Express, the Russian Federation admits that older Pantsir cannons are ineffective, which informs about the presentation of the new Pantsir-SMD-E complex. This equipment is designed, among other things, for combating drones.
The Russians presented their new equipment during the Army-2024 fair. The new version of the popular Pantsir complexes, the Pantsir-SMD-E, was showcased at a closed event. The latest generation removed the 30mm automatic cannons compared to the previous version.
New Pantsir-SMD-E system
As noted by Defense Express, the removal of the aforementioned cannons is a particularly significant decision, as the Pantsir-SMD-E now relies on 57E6E, TKB-1055 missiles, or their combination. The Russians are showing that 30mm cannons were ineffective in combat. "The reasons for abandoning the cannons are quite interesting – it's the low effectiveness of their fire in intercepting drones," it reads.
Analysts from Defense Express emphasize that this is "an excellent example of the level of some allegedly advanced Russian solutions." Competing anti-aircraft artilleries are effective against unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This suggests that the Russians were not able to create an appropriate weapon of this type, as was done in the case of the anti-aircraft Gepard system.
What has been taken care of in the new version of the Pantsir? The SMD-E variant was shown in an independent static configuration, but it can be integrated with trucks or surface platforms – just like its predecessors. The turret of the new Pantsir-SMD-E can hold up to 12 short-range surface-to-air missiles 57E6E, 48 very short-range mini rockets TKB-1055, or a mix of both types.
New Russian equipment
The aforementioned TKB-1055 is a relatively new design, which is to be used to combat one of the most popular threats on the front today – drones. The range of these mini rockets reaches 6 km, while the 57E6E missiles, according to the specifications, can combat targets even 19 km away.
– The Pantsir system family is constantly being improved and expanded. The new Pantsir-SMD-E was designed to protect stationary objects from air attacks, including mass drone attacks, as summarised by Bekkhan Ozdoyev from Rostec, the state enterprise responsible for weapon production.
The new Pantsir-SMD-E complex also includes two radars. One is used to detect and track potential threats, while the other will be used exclusively for missile guidance. As mentioned earlier – this is where the offensive capabilities of the new Russian design end. The SMD-E lacks the dual-barrelled 2A38M 30mm automatic cannons, which were standard in previous Pantsirs.
