The Russian Navy will soon receive the first batch of the Pantsir-ME naval missile and anti-aircraft artillery weapon systems, the weapon manufacturer said recently.
Alexander Denisov, general director of the High Precision Complex holding company, which includes Pantsir-ME manufacturer KBP, told journalists in late September that the system would be soon put into service with the Russian Navy without providing specific timelines.
Russia intends to equip its large surface combatants, including the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, with this system which includes protection against low-flying and small-size unmanned aerial vehicles.
Pantsir-ME is being procured to replace the obsolete 3М87 Kortik (Dirk) close-in weapons system.
Pantsir-ME combines artillery armament, a multimode missile armament and an integrated radar-optical armament control system in a single turret mount.
The control system features a multifunction radar station with a phased antenna radar and allows for a simultaneous engagement of 4 targets at a time.
Ships operating the system will be able to first open fire on a target with missiles and then, if the target still breaks through, use artillery to neutralize it.
Missiles fitted on the system have a range of 20 kilometers in length and 15 kilometers in height. Maximum artillery range is 400 meters. The system will also be capable of fielding the Hermes-K guided missile.
KBP, the system manufacturer, says the system can be installed on ships displacing over 300 tonnes.