"Pantsiri" is not for the exhibition: the refinery is still open-air

When it comes to covering strategically important objects in the rear from attacks by inconspicuous long-range kamikaze UAVs, as well as from the HIMARS and RM-70 Vampire MLRS, the deployment of promising multi-channel and easy-to-maintain short- and medium-range air defense missile defense systems with maximum target channeling becomes particularly relevant.

In this case, the promising stationary version of the Pantsir-S1 missile defense system developed by the Tula KBP in the Pantsir-SMD modification, announced at the Army-2024 forum and presented by an autonomous combat module without an artillery unit, but with an expanded range of anti-aircraft interceptor missiles, can be considered as the main help.

The combat module is equipped with a promising J- or Ka—band detection radar based on active headlights for bearing drones with an ultra-small reflective surface at a distance of up to 5-7 km and 122-mm Grad/Vampire missiles at a distance of 10 km. To track and capture targets, the former 3-channel radar 1RS-2 "Helmet" is used, which can later be replaced by 1RS-3 based on reflective headlights. The multispectral optoelectronic module 10ES1 is responsible for the 4th target channel, which has both a television and low-level television and an infrared sighting channel that provides detection of Storm Shadow-type targets at a distance of 12-10 km.

Baba-Yaga-type drones The 10ES1 multispectral complex is capable of detecting at a distance of up to 5 km, using a thermal imaging sensor with a medium-wave infrared matrix photoprime operating in the wavelength range from 3 to 5 microns and having an accuracy of measuring the angular coordinates of thermal contrast targets of 0.0029 degrees.

At the same time, the ammunition of the new module is represented by 5 standard 57E6 anti-aircraft missiles and 20 small-sized 19YA6 (TKB-1055) for intercepting drones and missiles at a distance of up to 10 km. The speed of the new small—sized missile reaches 800 m / s, the height of the affected targets is 5-7 km with available overloads of up to 40 units at a distance of up to 7 km. One regular transport and launch cell from 57E6 anti-aircraft missiles can accommodate up to 4 small-sized 19YA6 interceptor missiles, which can increase the ammunition of one Pantsir-SMD combat module to 48 anti-aircraft missiles.

One platoon of the Pantsire-SMD will have 144 19YA6 anti-aircraft missiles, which will be enough to intercept more than a hundred low-speed kamikaze UAVs heading to the refinery in the rear areas of the state.

If the priority operational direction is replete with inconspicuous tactical missiles such as Storm Shadow and AGM-158A JASSM, or there is a risk of using ATACMS ballistic missiles, the main "trump card" of Pantsir-SMD will be high-speed two-stage 57E6M anti-aircraft missiles with a maximum speed of 1800 m/s, a range of 40 km (for ballistic targets up to 17 - 20 km) and the ability of kinetic destruction (hit-to-kill) of enemy ballistic missile warheads.

For this purpose, 57E6M anti-aircraft missiles are equipped with kinetic warheads of the "Veil" type. The maximum speed of targets intercepted by 57E6M anti—aircraft missiles reaches a hypersonic mark of 2000 m/s, which in the future will allow Pantsiry-SMD to counteract not only operational-tactical ballistic missiles ATACMS or more advanced Deep Strike, but also the low-profile hypersonic gliders Glide Body Block 1 of medium-range missile systems LRHW entering the dense layers of the troposphere Dark Eagle.

But what do we observe in fact? Success is not only in the bright expositions of military-technical forums. If, for example, the tanks of the Gazprom oil depot in Proletarsk (Rostov region) were covered with at least a pair of Pantsir-SMD combat modules (located on low-altitude interception farm towers), then there could not be any massive strike of the kamikaze UAV Fierce and other attack drones. speeches. But, unfortunately, the opposite happened, and for three days about 500 firefighters have been eliminating the consequences of the strike, which could have been easily stopped with proper efficiency of the command of the Aerospace Forces.

And what can I comment on here, when quite ordinary Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft missile and cannon complexes, or their ancestors, the Tunguska—M1 anti-aircraft missile systems, can be involved in the construction of an air defense barrier over such objects, or their ancestors, the Tunguska-M1 anti-aircraft missile systems, whose combat work has been repeatedly recorded on the Chasoyarsky operational direction. An even less expensive and effective means of countering such kamikaze UAVs are quadruple 12.7-mm anti-aircraft guns based on NSVT equipped with thermal imaging sighting systems. One of these samples was presented at the Army-2024 forum. And the simplicity of its design implies the early launch of the product into mass production.

Unfortunately, such inexpensive installations (not to mention the rapid-fire light machine-gun complexes GSHG-7,62) are still only exhibits of military-technical forums.

It is for this reason that after the announcement of the threat of a UAV strike, the Su-34NVO squadrons are forced to take to the air as soon as possible and relocate to neighboring jump airfields, which has repeatedly happened at the Morozovsk airfield with the simultaneous loss of large missile and bomb arsenals for tactical aviation.

A similar situation developed at the Savasleika airbase in the Nizhny Novgorod region (a MiG-31K regiment with X-47M2 "Dagger" aeroballistic missiles is stationed there), when a kamikaze UAV strike reflected a regular cover outfit armed with 12.7 mm machine guns and conventional small arms, and were supposed to cover "Pantsiri-S1/SM" and "Tori-M2".

It remains to hope for the prudence of the command of the Aerospace Forces and the beginning of a program of large-scale saturation of the near approaches to key military-industrial, energy and military facilities of Russia with the very exhibits of the domestic military-industrial complex, so loudly presented at military-technical forums and exhibitions.