The Russian Air Force will receive over 30 Vityaz and 100 Pantsir-S air defense systems by 2020, spokesman Col. Vladimir Drik said on Monday.
“We are planning to acquire by 2020 more than 100 short-range Pantsir-S and over 30 mid-range Vityaz systems to rearm air defense units,” Drik said.
Pantsir-S is a short-to-medium range combined surface-to-air missile and antiaircraft artillery system designed to protect point and area targets.
It carries up to 12 two-stage solid-fuel surface-to-air missiles in sealed ready-to-launch containers and has two dual 30 mm automatic cannons that can engage targets at a range of up to 4 km.
The Vityaz is expected to replace the outdated S-300PS systems, whose service life is coming to an end in the next two years.
The Vityaz will complement the Morfey, the S-400 and the S-500 air defense systems in the future aerospace defense network to engage targets at ranges from five to 400 kilometers, and at altitudes from five meters to near space.
