India Bolsters Defense: Russia's Powerful Pantsir System to Shield Skies from Enemy Drones and Missiles
India has finalized an important defence deal with Russia for procuring the advanced Pantsir air defence system capable of detecting and destroying enemy aerial aircraft, drones, missiles all the way to 20 kilometers as also up to 15 kms in altitude. The agreement was sealed during the fifth India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission Subgroup meeting at Goa.
The agreement, inked with the Russian state-owned arms exporter Rosoboronexport, covers the production, technology transfer, and joint development of the Pantsir variant air defense system. It aligns with India's initiative of "Make in India," which aims at reinforcing homegrown self-reliance in the production of defensive equipment .
Pantsir Air Defence System
The Pantsir system is an all-round, flexible, and mobile kind of platform that protects military base facilities, strategic infrastructure, and other key installations from aerial attacks. In fact, the system can intercept aircraft, drones, and precision-guided munitions with its advanced radar and tracking capabilities able to detect and eliminate the target at up to 36 kilometers away and 15 kilometers in altitude.
The Pantsir has two 30mm guns along with 12 missiles, which can track and reach the targets up to a distance of 20 kilometers. The weapon system can destroy high-speed targets such as planes, helicopters, and cruise missiles by operating an automated surface-to-air anti-missile and anti-aircraft system in terms of attacking accuracy.
The warhead of the system weighs 20 kilograms and is well built to destroy hostile projectiles such as missiles, fixed-wing aircraft, and large drones. It is a system that can efficiently undertake all types of military information and strategic purposes.
The Pantsir system acts as an adequate defense against aerial threats, providing military, industrial, and administrative installations from possible attacks. With solid-fueled double-stage missiles that can reach a speed of 1,300 meters per second, it is capable of targeting a variety of airborne threats and this is precisely why the Indians need it so desperately for their defense.
