Russia negotiating Pantsir deliveries to some Mideast countries - FSMTC
ABU DHABI. Feb 20 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia is negotiating the delivery of Pantsir-S1 short to medium range surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery weapons to a number of Middle East countries, Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) Deputy Director Alexei Frolkin said.
"Some countries of the region have displayed interest in the Pantsir-S1 system. Cooperation of the kind is being pondered," Frolkin, a deputy head of the Russian delegation to the IDEX 2017 defense show in Abu Dhabi, told Interfax.
The scope of military-technical cooperation between Russia and Middle East countries remains substantial, he said.
"This region ranks amongst the top three buyers of Russian military products virtually every year. The hardware proved its worth back in the Soviet era, so buyers are interested in acquiring nearly the entire range of export products. Air defense systems, armor, aircraft, naval hardware and small arms deserve a special mention," Frolkin said.
Rosoboronexport had previously described the Pantsir-S1 as one of Russia's bestsellers. "Its successful operation by the Armed Forces of the United Arab Emirates and praises by military specialists played an important role in its export success," Rosoboronexport deputy head Igor Sevastyanov said ahead of the IDEX 2015 show.
Pantsir-S1 is a product of the Tula-based Shipunov Instrument Design Bureau of High-Precision Systems. It can destroy any type of modern and prospective means of air attacks at distances of up to 20 kilometers and the altitude of up to 15 kilometers. The anti-aircraft missile 57E6 travels at a speed of 1,300 meters per second.
It may simultaneously lock four targets and destroy airborne, ground and seaborne weapons and personnel. The system may operate in motion, from a firing position, or during brief stops.