Rostec Unveils Thunderbolt: New Mini-Missiles Enhance Pantsir Defense Capabilities
The High-Precision Systems branch of the Rostec State Corporation has commenced deliveries of the newest short-range aerial defense guided missiles for the Pantsir series of systems.
A consignment of compact missiles has been sent to the Russian Ministry of Defense as part of the national defense procurement initiative.
The streamlined missiles are meticulously designed to engage a variety of threats within the close combat zone, particularly unmanned aerial vehicles. During prior assessments, the essential specifications of the devices, alongside the effectiveness of the employed technical methods, were confirmed.
A container comprising four short-range interceptor missiles is situated in the designated deployment zone of a standard Pantsir missile. Reloading with pre-arranged containers necessitates the same time frame as regular munitions.
“The state-of-the-art mini-missiles considerably enhance the ammunition capability of the Pantsir — up to 48 rounds. Consequently, the system can counter a higher number of aerial threats, like drones. This will complicate attempts for adversaries to ‘exhaust’ the system’s armament while endeavoring to penetrate the air defense perimeter,” remarked Bekkhan Ozdoyev, Industrial Director of the Armament Cluster at Rostec State Corporation.
Simultaneously, depending on the combat readiness operational demands, Pantsir teams may configure contrasting combinations of compact and conventional missiles, increasing their adaptability in addressing aerial threats.
For the first occasion, the High Precision Systems holding revealed the mini-missiles for the Pantsir at the World Defense Show 2024 international exhibition in Riyadh. In Russia, the missiles were exhibited at the Fleet-2024 exhibition in Kronstadt within the same year.
Expert Insight:
According to Russian military analyst Igor Korotchenko, the editor-in-chief of National Defense magazine, the launch of the new Pantsir mini-missiles represents a noteworthy progression in tackling ongoing threats from unmanned platforms.
“The initiation of these deliveries is a vital program directed at effectively countering widespread assaults by Ukrainian drone-type aircraft targeting deep within the territories of the Russian Federation,” Korotchenko expressed to RIA Novosti. “The new short-range interceptors are custom-designed to neutralize such drones, and their cost-efficiency renders them perfect for mass production.”
Korotchenko further emphasized the strategic benefits, stating that boosting the Pantsir’s ammunition capacity to 48 rounds coupled with quicker reloading will enhance its resilience against drone swarms seeking to overwhelm aerial defense capabilities.
