Russia deployed Pantsir-S1 gun-missile complex on an air tower in Moscow to enhance its ability to counter UAV attacks.
Russian state television channel Rossiya-24 last week posted images of Pantsir-S1 complexes deployed to areas around the capital Moscow to enhance air defense capabilities against UAV attacks.
Some of the complexes are placed on tall towers, similar to Flak towers (Flakturm), the name of the defense tower system that Germany built during World War II, according to some observers.
Images of Pantsir-S1 complexes placed on high towers were released by Russia 24 TV channel on September 4. Photo: Rossiya-24
The Flak Tower is a giant concrete structure about 70 meters high, equivalent to a 21-story building, equipped with dozens of anti-aircraft weapons, including 128 mm guns, to cover the airspace and increase firing range.
Russian air defense towers are not as tall as the Flak towers. Some are as tall as three-story buildings, while others are even shorter, resembling little more than a 20-foot ramp. The Pantsir S-1s appear to be hoisted onto the air defense towers by crane or heavy helicopter.
Ukraine has recently carried out a number of UAV attacks on targets in Russia. The BBC estimated on September 1 that there have been more than 190 such UAV attacks since the beginning of the war, with Moscow alone suffering more than 10 attacks.
On August 30, Ukrainian UAVs simultaneously attacked at least 6 regions in Russia, damaging 4 Ilyushin Il-76 heavy transport aircraft in the city of Pskov. This is considered the largest large-scale UAV attack on Russian territory since the beginning of the year.
According to military expert Michael Peck, Russia's placement of the Pantsir S-1 on a high tower helps increase the range of target detection and firing. This is not a new idea, as Russia has placed Pantsir systems on the roofs of high-rise buildings in Moscow, but this is the first time the country has built a specialized structure to deploy this type of weapon.
Peck also believes that Russia's tactic has a psychological effect, as the towers serve as a symbol of the government's ability to protect its people.
A Russian Pantsir-S1 air defense system deployed on a steep slope. Photo: Rossiya-24
Developed in the 1990s and put into service with the Russian army in 2003, Pantsir-S1 is equipped with two 30mm cannons and 12 anti-aircraft missile launchers with a range of 18 km.
Pantsir-S1 can detect and counter missiles, rockets, helicopters as well as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that Ukraine often uses for reconnaissance or suicide attacks.
The Pantsir system has a thermal imaging camera that allows the operator to detect whether the UAV's plastic shell is equipped with explosives and fuses. The Russian Defense Ministry said that Pantsir crews in each combat shift detect and destroy multiple targets. The Russian Defense Ministry's Zvezda channel reported that Ukraine is hunting for Pantsir systems because they are "100% effective" on the battlefield.
Pham Giang (According to Business Insider, Defense Blog )
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