ZHUKOVSKY, near Moscow. Aug 18 (Interfax-AVN) - The holding company NPO Vysokotochniye Kompleksy (Precision Systems), integrated with Rostec, has signed a contract with the Defense Ministry for the delivery of the first batch of sea-based Pantsir-S surface-to-air artillery systems, the compnay's general director, Alexander Denisov, told Interfax-AVN.
"The first contract for the delivery of several sea-based Pantsir-S systems has been signed with the Defense Ministry," Denisov said at the Oboronexpo arms show in Zhukovsky near Moscow.
The deliveries are to begin in 2016, he said, adding that the company and the Navy are at the final stage of the sea-based version's at-sea testing.
The Pantsir-S1 has been developed by the Tula-based Shipunov instrument building design bureau, which is integrated with the Vysokotochniye Kompleksy holding company. The system is capable of destroying cruise missiles, drones, aircarft and land-based targets within a radius of up to 20 kilometers and at an altitude of up to 15 kilometers.
The employment of Pantsir-S1 systems is much less costly than that of systems with a medium and long-range capability.
Demand in Pantsir-S systems has been growing, according to Vysokotochniye Kompleksy.
A simulator was used to demonstrate the system's capabilities to hit targets in various combat settings and weather conditions.