Russian Pantsir air defense upgrades missiles to specifically counter UAVs

The Pantsir air defense system after being upgraded by Rostec can carry 48 mini-missiles, enhancing air defense capabilities against UAV targets.

Russia's air defense capabilities have made significant progress, as High Precision Systems (a leading company in Russia's defense industry), part of the state corporation Rostec, recently delivered a batch of 48 advanced mini-missiles to the Russian armed forces. This missile model is specifically for the Pantsir air defense missile-gun system. Photo: @X.

According to the press service of the state corporation Rostec, this delivery marks an important milestone in the modernization of Russia's short-range air defense network. Photo: @ Defense Mirror.

The press release stated that these new mini-missiles are designed to be integrated into the Pantsir air defense system to counter a wide range of airborne threats, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), enhancing the protection of critical infrastructure and military assets, as well as adapting to changing battlefield challenges. Photo: @ militarnyi.

The development has caught the attention of defense analysts and military enthusiasts, as it highlights the growing importance of smaller, more versatile munitions in countering low-cost, but high-volume threats like UAVs. Photo: @militarnyi.

The Pantsir is Russia’s signature air defense system, a combination of missile and artillery that has played a key role in Russia’s multilayered air defense architecture. But the addition of these miniaturized missiles addresses a pressing need: to engage small, agile targets like UAVs without exhausting larger, more expensive munitions. Photo: Military Watch Magazine.

By increasing the ammunition capacity and expanding the versatility of the Pantsir system, High Precision Systems equips Russian forces with the ability to deal with modern threats more effectively, comprehensively, and optimally. Photo: @ Defense Mirror.

Here, this upgrade allows the Pantsir to carry a mix of standard and miniaturized missiles, giving the Pantsir system command team ultimate tactical flexibility. Photo: @ Defense Mirror.

For example, Pantsir operators can prioritize mini-missiles for smaller targets like UAVs, reserving larger missiles for high-value threats like helicopters or cruise missiles. Photo: @UAWire.

This adaptability also addresses a key challenge in Russian air defense: balancing cost-effectiveness with lethality. Photo: @ War Thunder.

By combining these munitions, Pantsir will reduce its reliance on expensive interceptors for low-cost targets such as UAVs, which helps optimize resource allocation. Photo: @ Military Watch Magazine.

Integrating mini-missiles into the Pantsir system significantly enhances Russia’s air defense posture, especially against mass UAV attacks. Bekkhan Ozdoev, director of Rostec’s armaments cluster, emphasized an important strategic advantage: “It is endurance in prolonged engagements.” Photo: @UAWire.

According to Bekkhan Ozdoev, drones are often deployed in swarms to overwhelm defense lines, posing an increasing threat to military facilities, energy facilities, and command centers. Therefore, upgrading the Pantsir system will help counter this tactic, by maintaining defensive firepower for longer, forcing the opponent to spend more military resources to achieve the goal. Photo: @ militarnyi.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/phong-khong-pantsir-nga-nang-cap-dan-ten-lua-chuyen-doi-pho-uav-post1549996.html