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Russian Ground Forces to receive tracked Pantsir air defense systems – Part 2

S300-V4 is the most powerful air defense weapon of the Russian Ground Forces. It replaces S-300V. Both weapons operate in missile brigades subordinated to military districts.
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9A83M TELAR of S-300V4 system at Victory Parade 2020 in Moscow (Picture source: Vitaly Kuzmin)

In early 2010s, not all the districts had such units. The Moscow Military District operated the 202nd antiaircraft brigade, while neighboring North Caucasus and Leningrad regions did not have S-300V brigades. The Southern Military District formed an antiaircraft missile brigade in 2014. It is deployed in Korenovsk. The formation was the first one to receive S-300V4.

The Eastern Military District began to form a new antiaircraft missile brigade in 2019. It said in December 2019 that the unit in the Jewish region received a set of S-300V4. It is not clear when the rearmament of other brigades with S-300V4 would begin. The Defense Ministry has not officially disclosed the plans.

The latest S-300V4 has the longest range in its class. Its antimissile capabilities have been increased and the destruction zone expanded. It can down ballistic missiles and prospective aircraft. S-300V4 has been tested in Syria. A battalion of the launchers was deployed in October 2016 to control the eastern airspace of Syria, defend Humaymim airbase and Tartus naval base. The launchers numerously detected and tracked U.S. strategic bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. The targets were sustainably locked on. Intensive disturbances did not impede the launchers. Tactical aircraft nervously reacted to sustainable tracking by the air defense at distances of 200-300 km.

9A83ME TELAR of S-300VM Antey-2500 system, to be replaced by S-300V4 (Picture source: Army Recognition)

It was reported in 2018 that a new air defense weapon was designed for the Ground Forces : Pantsir-SM/SV. It had to begin preliminary trials in 2019. The Defense Ministry later displayed the weapon which is actually a tracked Pantsir-SM. The undercarriage is similar to that of Tor and Tunguska, but has an additional pair of rollers, which means a bigger weight of the vehicle.

The idea of a ground version Pantsir is not new. Yet in 2012, there were reports that the Ground Forces refused to procure the missile guns. However, Deputy CEO of Tula Design Bureau Yuri Savenkov said the Ground Forces had voiced no major remarks related to technical and combat characteristics. The main claim was the absence of a tracked Pantsir, the Independent Military Review said.

Pantsir-SM on wheeled chassis. The tracked versionuses Tor's or Tunguska's undercarriage(Picture source: Army Recognition)