The Pantsir (Russian: "Carapace") missile system is a family of self-propelled, medium-range surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery systems. Starting with the Pantsir-S1 (NATO reporting name SA-22 Greyhound) as the first version, it is produced by KBP Instrument Design Bureau of Tula, Russia.

The Pantsir-S1 was designed to provide point air defense of military, industrial and administrative installations against aircraft, helicopters, precision munitions, cruise missiles and UAVs; and to provide additional protection to air defense units against enemy air attacks employing precision munitions, especially at low to extremely low altitudes.

The first finished version was completed in 1995 with the 1L36 radar, later another was designed. It is a short to medium range ground-based air defense system, wheeled, tracked or stationary with two to three operators. Its air defense consists of automatic anti-aircraft guns and surface-to-air missiles with radar or optical target-tracking and radio-command guidance.

Its purpose is the protection of civil and military point and area targets, for motorized or mechanized troops up to regimental size or as defensive asset of higher ranking air defense systems like S-300/S-400. The system has capability for anti-munitions missions. It can hit targets on the waterline/above-water. It can operate in a fully automatic mode. It has the ability to work in a completely passive mode. The probability of hitting a target for one rocket is not less than 0.7 with a reaction time of 4-6 seconds. It can fire missiles and gun armament while in motion. For its main radar station, early detection in height may be between 0-60 degrees or 26-82 degrees depending on the mode. The system has claimed significant advantages over other systems, such as Crotale NG (France), Roland-3 (France and Germany), Rapier 2000 (UK), SeaRAM (Germany and USA). This is not confirmed by comparative testing, but clearly follows from declared limit of possibilities of systems (2010) In 2013, there was a variant with two radar stations for early detection "standing back to back". The system has a modular structure which enables a fast and easy replacement of any part.

After receiving target coordinates (from any source) it may defeat the target (using all the radar except the early detection radar) within a range from -5 to +85 (82) degrees (vertical). The interval between missile launches is 1-1.5 seconds (a world record for analogue systems). S-400 Triumf and Pantsir missile system can be integrated into a two-layer defense system.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale replica of a Russian Pantsir-S1 Self-Propelled Air Defense System built on a KAMAZ-6560 8x8 truck TLAR and painted in a woodlands camouflage scheme. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Length: 5-inches
Width: 2-inches

Release Date: October 2023

Historical Account: "Downing Drones" - The Pantsir-S1 fire control system includes a target acquisition radar and dual waveband tracking radar (designation 1RS2-1E for export models), which operates in the UHF and EHF waveband. Its detection range is 32-36 kilometres (20-22 mi). Its tracking range is 24-28 kilometres (15-17 mi) for a target with a 2 m2 (22 sq ft) RCS. It can also reliably achieve more, up to 45 km (28 mi). This radar tracks both targets and the surface-to-air missile while in flight. Minimum target size 2-3 square centimetres (0.31-0.47 sq in) (0.0004 square metres (0.0043 sq ft))

As well as radar, the fire control system has an electro-optic channel with a long-wave thermal imager and an infrared direction finder, including digital signal processing and automatic target tracking. A simplified, lower-cost version of the Pantsir-S1 is being developed for export, with only the electro-optic fire control system fitted.

The two independent guidance channels - radar and electro-optic - allow two targets to be engaged simultaneously. And four for more recent options (2012). The maximum engagement rate is up to 10-12 targets per minute.

Types of purposes. Aircraft, UAVs, helicopters, anti-radar missiles (detection range of AGM-88 HARM missile 13-15 kilometres (8.1-9.3 mi)), air-launched cruise missiles.