New Precision Missiles for Russian Pantsir-S Air Defense System, MANPADS

Russia is developing new precision missiles as part of an overall upgrade of the venerable Pantsir short-range air defense system (ADS) besides for an all-new mana portable anti-aircraft missile system (MANPADS).

"A modification of the Pantsir-SM-SV is being developed on a tracked chassis for the Ground and Airborne Forces. The system will have two types of anti-aircraft guided missiles and have an increased zone of destruction. Both works are planned to be completed in 2022," Lieutenant General Alexander Leonov, head of the military air defense of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation said in an interview with the Russian Defense Ministry’s newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda.

"The missile of the new MANPADS will be equipped with an optoelectronic homing head, providing guidance to the target under the influence of all types of existing and developing optical interference," Leonov said.

He told state media that the Pantsir-SM-SV will employ two types of surface-to-air missiles and will have an increased strike range. Its work is set to be completed in 2022.

Russia is also developing a new anti-aircraft missile system dubbed Ptitselov that will employ two types of missiles with different directing principles (thermal and laser homing missiles), Russia’s Battlefield Air Defense chief said.

Leonov said that in 2022, the development of a combat vehicle of the Typhoon-PVO anti-aircraft gunners department is being completed. "The armament of combat vehicles can include both the existing Igla, Igla-S and Verba MANPADS, as well as the new generation MANPADS being developed.”

In addition, the Airborne Forces will also receive the Ptitselov air defense system which will have two types of missiles with different guidance methods: a homing target by thermal radiation and a laser-guided target acquisition system, the general said.