The Russian army may get a new Pantsir-SM air defense missile/gun (ADMG) system with an extended range missile in 2018, Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said.

The Pantsir-SM will be a upgrade of the Pantsir-S1

"There are plans to double the engagement range. I think we’ll complete these works in 2018. This will be an upgraded system with an extended range missile," he said. The deputy minister also clarified that the in-service Pantsir ADMG systems, too, will be equipped with the new missile. Borisov also told what contracts will be awarded to KBP Instrument Design Bureau under the new state armament program. "All of KBP’s final products, which, in addition to the Pantsir ADMG system, include the Kornet ATGM system, various small arms and cannons, guided artillery projectiles, will be contracted," he said.

The Pantsir-SM is expected to significantly outperform the current version. In particular, it should get a new high-speed missile, while the target detection and destruction range will approximately double. It is expected that the Pantsir-SM will be able to detect a target at 75 km and destroy it 40 km. For the Pantsir-S1, these indicators are 40 and 20 km, respectively. The Pantsir-S1 (SA-22 Greyhound NATO code name) is an air defense missile-gun system designed to protect vital small-size and big military areas, industrial targets and land forces units and reinforced the air defense units responsible for the protection of troops and military installations against precision-guided air attack from low and extreme low altitudes.

© Copyright 2017 TASS. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.