2 NEW Russian air defense systems for ships

Vitaly V. Kuzmin/vitalykuzmin.net
These missile systems will be able to shoot down the latest missiles and low-flying targets approaching ships directly above the surface of the water, even in the heaviest storms.

The anti-aircraft missile system ‘Resource’, first presented by the Almaz-Antey concern of the East Kazakhstan Region within the framework of the ‘MVMS-2021’ International Naval Salon in early July 2021 in St. Petersburg, is capable of hitting any target attacking the ship it is mounted to with a single missile. This was announced by the deputy head of the Altair Scientific and Technical Center (part of the Almaz NGO of the Almaz-Antey Concern of East Kazakhstan Region) Sergey Pavlov during the military exhibition.

According to him, the Resource air defense system is unique for its compact modular composition and high efficiency. 

“The complex develops a flight task for the rocket, directing it to the target area; the rocket in this area independently searches the target, pointing at it and defeating it. Any ship-based detection radar that has sufficient characteristics for the accuracy of tracking air targets is capable of giving the complex a target control system for destruction,” Pavlov said.

The representative of the concern noted that the Resource complex being developed for the Russian Navy has passed a full test cycle. All the characteristics that were laid down in the task are confirmed. Now the SAM is undergoing pilot operation as part of the armament of the Navy corvettes and will be one of the main air defense systems of the Navy. 

“The Resource complex is equipped with two types of missiles: with a range of hitting air targets up to 28 kilometers and up to 10 kilometers, respectively,” the specialist noted.

At the same time, he stressed that the minimum height of hitting an air target is only five meters, while the maximum is 20 kilometers.

According to the representative of the concern, this SAM is proposed for installation on modern surface ships.

The complex can simultaneously fire at up to five targets. The missiles of the complex launch vertically and have no separable parts.

‘Resource’ is the latest anti-aircraft missile system for protecting ships. Yet, at the end of 2019, Almaz-Antey presented another artillery air defense system for ships, which had previously been tested by combat in the battle with ISIL militants in Syria.

Pantsir for ships

‘Pantsir-ME’ is a marine analogue of the notorious land-based ‘Pantsir-S1’ anti-missile complex.

It’s an artillery system designed for naval battles to intercept enemy missiles and other projectiles during rains, winds, sea rolling and even storms. 

It’s compact and covered with an anti-corrosion shell to withstand constant water pressure and rust.

The biggest difference between the sea and land versions of the system lies in its internal part - the system created for ships shoots down missiles flying over a reflective water surface that usually hides the trajectories of projectiles from anti-missile systems. 

Another difference between the land and sea versions is their rate of fire. A land-based one fires up to 4,800 artillery shells per minute, while a sea-based one can fire almost 10,000 of them per minute.

The sea monster can simultaneously shoot down up to four targets flying over the surface. 

“Both systems will accompany each other and work in pairs to shoot down large and small targets at sea. It will focus on jet planes, missiles and bombers, while the ‘Pantsir’ will target smaller targets or projectiles that managed to surpass the ‘Resource’s missiles,” says Viktor Murakhovsky, editor-in-chief of the magazine ‘Domestic Arsenal’.

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