Documents
Russia KBP Instrument Design Bureau
Pantsir-S1
A Russian combined gun-missile short-to-medium-range air-defense system mounted on a wheeled or tracked chassis, intended for point defense of assets and to complement longer-range systems like the S-400. It has seen extensive combat use and export.
In service since 2012 · 8 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
20
km range
15,000
m altitude
4
targets
36
km radar
💲 ≈ $15,000,000, Disputed export figure. Russia's 2000 contract with the UAE for 50 Pantsir-S1 systems was valued at roughly USD 734 million including R&D costs, working out to about USD 15 million per unit, and this figure is widely repeated for later export batches. Upgraded S1M and SMD-E variants reportedly command higher prices in the USD 17 to 20 million range, and Russia has never published an official state price.
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
Russian state channel
Rosoboronexport monopoly; Western sanctions exposure and payment/logistics risk for many buyers.
Channel: Rosoboronexport (state)
Fielded & proven
Established · 8 operators
In service since 2012. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$38M – $53M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~25 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 3 Mach |
|---|---|
| Engagement range Maximum distance at which an air-defense system can intercept targets. Higher covers more airspace. | 20 km |
| Engagement altitude Maximum target altitude the system can reach. | 15,000 m |
| Simultaneous targets Number of targets the system can engage at once. Higher resists saturation attacks. | 4 |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 57E6 interceptor missile plus twin 2A38M 30mm autocannons |
|---|---|
| Secondary armament Additional weapons: coaxial MG, remote weapon station, gun pods. | 2x 30mm autocannon |
| Warhead Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range. | 20 kg |
| Warhead type Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable. | Fragmentation |
| Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire. | Radio command, Radar/optical tracking |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art. | 1RS2-1E detection and tracking radar |
|---|---|
| Radar range Published detection range against a typical fighter-sized target. Higher sees first. | 36 km |
| Datalink Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement. | Battery command network |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $15,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 8 |
Specifications compiled from public KBP Instrument Design Bureau and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
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Pantsir-S1 vs
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HQ-9 Frequently asked questions
What is the engagement range of the KBP Instrument Design Bureau Pantsir-S1? +
The KBP Instrument Design Bureau Pantsir-S1 has a maximum engagement range of 20 km.
What is the main armament of the KBP Instrument Design Bureau Pantsir-S1? +
The KBP Instrument Design Bureau Pantsir-S1's primary weapon is the 57E6 interceptor missile plus twin 2A38M 30mm autocannons.
What is the KBP Instrument Design Bureau Pantsir-S1 used for? +
The KBP Instrument Design Bureau Pantsir-S1 is a air defense system typically used for air defense.
How many countries operate the KBP Instrument Design Bureau Pantsir-S1? +
The KBP Instrument Design Bureau Pantsir-S1 is operated by 8 countries.
How much does the KBP Instrument Design Bureau Pantsir-S1 cost? +
The KBP Instrument Design Bureau Pantsir-S1 has an approximate unit cost of 15,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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