Crimea: Pantsyr-S air defense missile and gun system on combat duty in Kerch.

The Pantsyr-S air defense missile and gun system has gone on combat duty in the town of Kerch, eastern Crimea, Captain 2nd rank Alexei Rulev, the Black Sea Fleet press service chief, said.

Pantsir S-1 firing its 30mm cannons at Army-2018, near Kubinka (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The Pantsyr-S crews have occupied their battle positions to be able to detect air targets. "The system’s weapons comprise a small-size two-stage anti-aircraft guided missile, which can destroy targets with a cloud of sharp steel spikes," Alexei Rulev, the Black Sea Fleet press service chief, added.

The Pantsir-S1 (SA-22 Greyhound in NATO code) is an air defense missile-gun system on truck chassis designed to protect troops and military installations against precision-guided air attack from low and extreme low altitudes. It includes a combat vehicle (up to six vehicles in a battery), surface-to-air guided missiles, 30 mm shells, a transporter-loader vehicle (one per two combat vehicles), maintenance and training facilities.

The Pantsir-S1 was designed by the KBP Instrument Design Bureau of Tula, Russia, and is manufactured by the Ulyanovsk Mechanical Plant, Ulyanovsk. The Pantsir-S1 was unveiled for the first time to the public during the Maks airshow in Zhukosvsky, near Moscow, in 1995. The first 10 Pantsir S1 systems entered service with the Russian Air Force on 18 March 2010.

In May 2000, the United Arab Emirates ordered 50 Pantsir-S1 systems, mounted on MAN SX 45 8×8 wheeled vehicles. The order was worth $734m. The first batch was delivered in November 2004. A new radar was requested by the UAE and first deliveries of the completed system took place in 2007. Syria has placed an order for 50 Pantsir-S1 systems. Deliveries began in June 2008. Jordan has also placed an order for an undisclosed number of systems.