High Precision masterpiece
Presentation of anti-aircraft artillery weapon system
PANTSIR-ME in Saint-Petersburg in the end of June this year was an absolute
sensation in the world of military innovation. The system provides the ultimate
protection against modern air threats, including small-size unmanned aerial
vehicles. The naval missile and anti-aircraft artillery weapon system Pantsir-ME
developed by the Tula KBP (part of the High Precision Weapons Holding of Rostec
State Corporation) provides the ultimate protection against modern air threats,
including low-flying and small-size unmanned aerial vehicles.
The creation of new innovative defense complex confirms the fact that Russian
High Precision Weapons Holding is one of the world leaders in creating modern
weapons.
The High-Precision Weapons Holding (a part of the Rostec State Corporation) was
founded in 2009. The holding consists of a number of largest leading defense
enterprises that are well known on the world arms market. It is sufficient only
to mention such brands as the JSC Shipunov KBP Instrument Design Bureau”, the
“Tula Arms Plant”, “Tulatochmash”, the “Tactical Missiles Corporation”, the
“Nudelman Precision Engineering Design Bureau”, the “Kovrov Electromechanical
Plant”, the “V.A. Degtyaryov Plant”, the All-Russian Scientific Research
Institute “Signal”, and others. As of today, there are 19 companies joined in
the holding. Most of them are national and international leaders in their
segments.
High-Precision Weapons Holding plays an increasingly important role on the world
arms market. The holding is the Russian largest developer and manufacturer of
the most modern and innovative high-precision weapons. The importance and
potential of the Russian holding increase worldwide as well: On a scale of the
top 100 weapons manufacturers in the world, the Stockholm International Peace
Research Institute (SIPRI) rates the High-Precision Weapons Holding from Russia
at 39.
Such a success (the holding did not belong to the world’s top 100 weapons
manufacturers before) can be explained by increasing deliveries both to the
Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and to the foreign market. According to
an SIPRI expert, “the Russian companies ride the ground-swell of boosts in
military spending and arms export. Eleven companies from the top 100 list are
Russian ones. Their income has increased by a total of 48.4%”. It also can be
noted that the High-Precision Weapons Holding belongs to the top 10 world’s
defensive rankings by an overall production and supply increase rate.
Holding is existing export contracts and the conclusion new is being conducted
almost constantly. There is every reason to believe that results of 2017 will
surpass last year's figures, when the High-Precision Weapons recorded the high
efficiency of their foreign economic activities.
The products of the holding’s companies are well known on all continents and
much sought after on international arms markets. Interest in the products of the
“High-Precision Weapons Holding” grows due to the objective situation.
The exports of the holding are based on warfare systems well known on the
international market such as “Pantsir-S1”, “Palma”, “Kornet-E”, “Konkurs”,
“Metis-M1”, “Igla-S”, “Arkan”, “Verba”, “Shmel”, “Kapustnik”, and others as well
as on training systems, armored vehicles upgrade, and so on (for more details,
see this issue of the newspaper “High-Precision Weapons”).
The holding’s products are well known and much sought after on the markets in
the Middle East, the Gulf, Northern Africa, Latin America, India, Central and
Southern Africa. The holding is constantly expanding the geography of its
exports. This is due to product line extension, development of new models and
upgrade of products in demand as well as well thought-out service policy.
The holding invests much into the development of promising designs of weapons
and military equipment, enhances and augments its development and production
potential, and invests in the development of models of tomorrow.
It is evident that the demand for high-precision weapons only increases around
the world. They do not miss. They are mobile, fast, maintenance-friendly,
reliable, and the most modern. The newest technological solutions are used. 20
years ago, the proportion of high-precision weapons used in local conflicts
amounted to up to 7%. In recent years, this share has increased by up to 90-95%.
The most designs of the High-Precision Weapons Holding are the best in the world
and determine the technological vectors of development in their segments.
In 2016, the High-Precision Weapons holding toped the planned revenue value by
more than one milliard US dollars. The holding is gradually taking a more
important position in the global arms market. A considerable amount of holding’s
production enterprises supplies is carried out serving the interests of many
regions. Moreover, the arms produced by the holding constitute the basis of high
precision weapon park of many countries. The High-Precision Weapons holding is
the biggest developer and producer of the top-notch high precision weapons in
Russia.
Experts in the global arms market confident that interest in high-precision
weapons in the world will only grow. Therefore, the demand for the products of
the leading Russian holding will also grow from year to year.
However, we will continue the story about this year's sensation — Pantsir-ME.
The naval weapon systems Pantsir-ME and its forerunners Kashtan and Kashtan-M
developed by the Tula KBP (part of the High Precision Systems Holding) are the
only systems in the world that combine a powerful artillery armament, an
effective multimode missile armament and an integrated radar-optical armament
control system in a single turret mount. Equipped with two types of armament
(which is already a considerable advantage), these systems have better
characteristics of each individual armament type as compared to their analogues.
The creation of the new weapon system Pantsir-ME provides reliable protection
for ships against air threats with absolute probability virtually equal to 1,
including protection against low-altitude anti-ship missiles and unmanned aerial
vehicles. The key feature of the systems created by KBP is that they can first
open fire on a target with missiles and then, in the dead zone of anti-aircraft
missiles, use artillery armaments, if the target is not destroyed.
‘One of the key imperatives in the strategy of Rostec weapons cluster is the
development and creation of new weapons, including anti-aircraft missile
systems. The development of the Pantsir-ME system is a consistent element in the
implementation of this strategy. The creation of almost each primary system
required brand-new high-tech solutions. As a result, the destructive potential
of Pantsir-ME is 3-4 times higher than that of Kashtan-M,’ says CEO of Rostec
Sergey Chemezov. Thus, the missile intercept zone has been increased from 10 to
20 kilometers in length and from 3 to 15 kilometers in height. All the stages of
combat performance – from target search to firing – are performed in motion. The
combined use of radar and optical control systems provides an all-weather 24/7
operation. All the system processes are automated, the crew ensures only
supervision and control.’
High engagement effectiveness is determined by the new features implemented in
the Pantsir-ME system. The modular design remains intact: 1 command module and
up to 4 combat modules depending on ship type, which allows a flexible defence.
The combined missile and artillery armaments ensure an effective engagement of
all types of targets within the whole range of field conditions and
counter-weapons with a potential for further development until 2020-2025.
The combat module of Pantsir-ME includes a multifunction radar station with a
phased antenna and an intercept missile with an engagement range of 20 km, which
ensures simultaneous engagement of 4 targets, as well as an engagement of new
types, updated anti-ship missiles and small-size air threats and surface
targets. The combat module can work autonomously and as part of a cell of 4
modules. The system can be installed on ships with a displacement of 300 tonnes
and more.
Pantsir-ME. Key characteristics
- The Pantsir-ME complex combines a powerful artillery weapon system, effective
multimode missiles and an integrated multispectral radar and optical fire
control system fitted on the turret.
- The combat capability and kill capacity of one channel of these missile and
artillery systems are 2 to 4 times higher than those of systems comprising only
artillery weapons.
- Engagement zone:
- missiles, km: range: 1.5-20; altitude: 0.002-15
- artillery, km: range: 0.3-4; altitude: 0-3
- Number of targets simultaneously engaged by one module: 4
- A combat module can be operated independently or within a battery consisting of 4 modules.
- Control system - radar and electro-optic, television + thermal imager, laser rangefinder
- Automated control system
- All-weather 24/7 operation
- All the stages of combat performance are performed in motion
