Two NATO countries, the USA and Turkey, have decided to collaborate on a joint investigation referring to a Russian missile system, the Pantsir, recovered in Libya on the battlefield. Let's talk about the system that recently shot down two remotely piloted aircraft Predator respectively of the American and Italian armed forces.
Turkish troops are present on the ground in Libya, where they are fighting in Tripoli in support of the United Nations-backed Government of National Accord (GNA). The UAE and Russia support the Tobruk-based Libyan National Army (LNA) of General Khalifa Haftar.
Last year, General Haftar led the LNA in a major offensive to take Tripoli and end the conflict between the two sides. Haftar's troops were supported by Emirati advisers and Russian troops who are represented by the private company of Russian contractors Wagner in the pay of the Kremlin. In a surprise move, Turkey sent its troops in support of the militias set up to defend Tripoli. These troops were instrumental in repelling the LNA and effectively ending General Haftar's ambitions.
Haftar, during the offensive, had taken control of the LNA air base at Al-Watiya, 100 miles southwest of Tripoli. Haftar's militias left a missile defense system on their escape from the airport Pantsir built in Russia. It is a state-of-the-art self-propelled anti-aircraft system of the Russian armed forces, which fires medium-range surface-to-air missiles. It was reportedly given to the LNA by the Emirates.
The captured Pantsir system disappeared for a few weeks and eventually reappeared in the hands of a local militia in the city of Zawiya. The militia is commanded by Mohamed Bahroun, a Libyan warlord with ties to the Islamic State. Turkish troops reached an agreement with Bahroun, whose forces agreed to deliver the Pantsir to the Turkish-controlled Mitiga International Airport on the outskirts of Tripoli. Shortly after, the United States warned Turkey that it was ready to take control of the missile system, fearing it might fall into the hands of the Islamic State.
The United States sent a C-17 Globemaster cargo plane to Mitiga airport from AFRICOM base in Germany to pick up the Pantsir. He then delivered it to Ankara, where it is now being examined by a joint team of Turkish and American experts.
The PANTSIR
The "Pantsir" missile system (in Russian: Панцирь, lit. '"Carapace") is a family of self-propelled, medium-range, surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery systems.
Starting with Pantsir-S1 (Russian: Панцирь-С1, NATO reporting name SA-22 Greyhound) as the first version, it is produced by the KBP Instrument Design Bureau in Tula, Russia. The system is a further development of 2K22 Tunguska (NATO reporting name: SA-19 / SA-N-11) and represents the latest air defense technology using progressive array radar for both target acquisition and tracking The Pantsir-S1 was designed to provide point air defense of military / industrial / administrative installations against aircraft, helicopters, precision ammunition, cruise missiles and UAVs; and to provide additional protection to air defense units against enemy air attacks using precision ammunition, especially at low or very low altitudes.
Planning
The first finished version was completed in 1995 with the 1L36 radar, later another one was designed. It is a land-based, self-transported, tracked or stationary short to medium range air defense system with two or three operators. Its air defense consists of automatic anti-aircraft guns and surface-to-air missiles with radar or optical target detection and radio-controlled guidance.Its purpose is the protection of civil and military point and area targets, for motorized or mechanized troops up to size of a regiment or as defensive means of higher-ranking air defense systems such as the S-300 / S-400. The system has capabilities for anti-ammunition missions. It can hit targets on the waterline / above water. It can operate in fully automatic mode. It has the ability to work in completely passive mode. The probability of hitting a target with 1 rocket is not less than 0,7 with a reaction time of 4-6 seconds. For its main radar station, early height detection can be between 0-60 ° or 26-82 ° depending on the mode. The system has claimed significant advantages over other systems, such as Crotale NG (France), Roland-3 (France + USA), Rapier 2000 (UK), SeaRAM (Germany + USA). This is not confirmed by comparative tests, but clearly follows from the stated limit of the possibilities of the systems (2010). In 2013 there was a variant with two radar stations for early back-to-back detection. The system has a modular structure that allows quick and easy replacement of any part.After receiving the target coordinates (from any source) it can engage the target (using all radars except early detection radar) within a range of -5 to +85 (82) degrees (vertical). The interval between missile launches is 1-1,5 seconds (a world record for analog systems) .The S-400 Triumf and Pantsir missile system can be integrated into a two-layer defense system.
Software
Soviet strategic missile systems were originally placed in fixed and protected sites. Newer systems, such as the S-300PS / PM (SA-10/20), were much more mobile, which reduced vulnerabilities to attack. However, once found by the enemy forces, the S-300 unit was still very vulnerable to massive attacks. One of the roles of the Pantsir-S is to provide anti-aircraft protection to the S-300 missile systems.It was also decided that a wheeled chassis would be more suitable for the Pantsir-S rather than a crawler chassis, based on the fact that wheeled vehicles are faster, less prone to breakdown, easier to maintain and cheaper to produce. Development such as Pantsir-S began in 1990 as the planned successor to the Tunguska M1. A prototype was completed in 1994 and exhibited at MAKS-1995. The program soon encountered difficulties which led to a freeze on funding. However, KBP continued to develop the program using its own funds. This has led to a complete redesign of both the turret and radar system and the removal of any older Tunguska equipment.The system has two new radars with a longer range, capable of tracking more aerial but also ground targets, and has an IFF system. integrated. Inside the cab, two new multifunctional LCD displays have replaced the multiple CRT display and a new central computer system has significantly reduced reaction time. One-man operation can be achieved when needed. Thanks to the new technologies adopted, the overall volume of the weapon station is reduced by a third, while the overall weight is halved. The system has also improved missiles (from type 57E6 to type 57E6-E probably interchangeable) and cannons (from type 2A72 to type 2A38M). Astrakhan region, Russia. The final test series prior to delivery in May 2006 to Kapustin Yar included a forced march of 2007 km (250 mi) to an unprepared launch position that simulated the implementation of a typical air defense mission. -S160 was adopted for service in the Russian army on the orders of the President of the Government of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev on November 1, 16. The modernized Pantsir-S2012 entered service in 2.
