The 2K22 Tunguska
/ 96K6 Pantsir / SA-19/SA-22 family of SPAAGMs owes its
earliest origins to a 1970 directive for the replacement of the
ubiquitous ZSU-23-4P SPAAG. The ZSU-23-4P was considered both
lethal and effective by its Western opponents, but Soviet analysts were
unimpressed with the lethality and the engagement envelope of the
23 mm weapons. Analysis indicated that a 30 mm gun would be much
more lethal. Soviet operational analysis also indicated
that the performance of the acquisition radar on the SPAAG was
critical to combat effectiveness. The defeat of anti-tank
helicopters in pop-up engagement geometries became an additional
requirement after the 1972 debut of these weapons in Vietnam.
Trials of the prototype 2S6 / 2K22 Tunguska SPAAGM commenced
in 1980. The prototypes introduced several innovations,
including a 30 mm gun derivative aircraft cannon,
the 9K311 missile and a digital computer for controlling
the system.
The earliest production variant, the 2K22 / 2S6 Tunguska / SA-19
Grison, achieved IOC in 1982.
The immediate operaitonal imperative
for the PVO-SV was to defeat th then new A-10 Thunderbolt, and US Army
helicopters firing anti-armour
missiles, such as the TOW equipped AH-1S and Hellfire equipped
AH-64A
Apache. From the Soviet perspective, both of these threats would
pop up briefly above the radar/visual horizon, fire at Soviet tanks or
SPAAGs, and then disappear below the horizon before the ZSU-23-4P or
9K33 Osa / SA-8 systems could respond with defensive weapon fire.
The Soviets needed a weapon system which could win in a 'high noon'
shootout with the A-10 or a nap-of-ther-earth pop-up rotary wing
threat. This drove the design requirements for the Tunguska,
and led to the development of the high speed 9M311 SAM, intended to
cross the distance between the Tunguska and the target before the
latter could hide below the horizon line. This capability would be
supplemented by a 30 mm gun system, the Soviets clearly coveting the
BundesWehr's Krauss-Maffei Wegmann FLAKPanzer Gepard SPAAG.
The missile requirement led to the unusual two stage 9M311 design, in
which the first stage boosted the round to 900 m/s at burnout, the
sustainer in the terminal stage burning to impact and maintaing a 600
m/s velocity. The missile employs command link guidance, with an
automatic Command to
Line Of Sight (CLOS) control loop for the terminal phase to impact,
with an 18G capability. The
engagement radar component of the 1RL144M Hot Shot system is claimed to
operate
in the millimetric band, using jam resistant monopulse angle tracking;
a 1A29M optical sight is boresighted with the radar. A 1RL138 IFF
system is included. Conceptually the 2S6 missile package has its
closest Western equivalents in the Franco-German Roland system, and the
UK Rapier Blindfire and Seawold systems.
The gun requirement led to the adaptation of the 30 mm GSh-30
aircraft cannon,
carried by Russian fighters: the 2A38 series liquid cooled 30 mm gun
delivers a rate of fire of 1950-2500
rds/min, a muzzle velocity of 960 m/s, using the 2A42 cartridge and
0.39 kg projectile.
The initial 1982 2K22 2S6 Tunguska variant was superceded by the
2K22M/2S6M
Tunguska M in 1990, and the 2K22M1/2S6M1 Tunguska M1 in 2003. The
product line has been further developed as the Pantsir S, primarily in
a road mobile configuration.
The 9M113-M1 SAM has a higher impulse booster, and radio rather than
laser fusing to improve effect against cruise missiles and precision
guided munitions. Defeating the latter has become one of the primary
requirements for late variants of the 2S6 and the newer Pantsir S.
Early configuration
2S6M1
Tunguska M1 system,
note the Hot Shot radar system with the paraboloid section search
antenna and gimballed monopulse tracking antenna (© Miroslav
Gyűrösi).
Late
configuration 2S6M1 Tunguska M1 (Said Aminov, Vestnik PVO).
A BundesWehr
Gepard
SPAAG. The Gepard was
a German response to the highly effective ZSU-23-4P SPAAG, and clearly
became a major influence on the design of the Tunguska system, intended
to replace the ZSU-23-4P.
Tunguska batteries are typically deployed with the PU-12M, PPRU-1M or
Ranzhir
series of battery command posts.
The operational requirement for the weapon system which became the 96K6
Pantsir system was fundamentally different to that defined by the
PVO-SV for the 2K22 / 2S6 Tunguska - the PVO required a point defence
weapon system to protect its S-300P / SA-10A/B Grumble fixed and
self-propelled SAM batteries from attack by defence suppression
aircraft, and to protect airfields and other critical strategic
facilities from guided weapon attack. Development was launched in 1990,
the intent being an adaptation of the PVO-SV system for carriage on a
wheeled vehicle compatible with the transit speeds of the PVO's S-300P
/ SA-10A/B Grumble missile batteries.
Early Pantsir S1 / SA-22
demonstrator. Note the configuration of the search and engagement radar
antennas (KBP).
A configuration
of the
Pantsir S1
which remains on offer uses the depicted 8 x 8 MZKT-7930 chassis,
providing much
better cross country mobility than the lighter KAMAZ chassis, at a
cost (KBP).
The first prototype of the Pantsir S1 was displayed in 1995, using an
enlarged derivative of the Tunguska's 9K311 missile, the 9K335. Twelve
of these missiles were carried in elevating launch tubes. A pair of
liquid cooled 2A72 30 mm guns were used. The system was equipped with
the Phazotron 1L36-01 Roman / Hot Shot which used an X-band search
component and a n MMW band engagement component. This radar was later
supplanted by the 1RS-2E Shlem.
During the 2005-2006 period, Phazotron shifted development effort to a
new passive phased array design engagement radar, exploiting their
experience in developing similar X-band radars for the MiG-29 Fulcrum
and Su-27 Flanker fighters.
Several chassis were trialled during the development of the 96K6
Pantsir S1 system. Initially the 8 x 8 Ural-5323.4 was used, then the 8
x 8 MZKT-7930 was trialled, with the KAMAZ 6530 used for production
systems in Russian, and an EU supplied MAN chassis used for systems
supplied to the United Arab Emirates. the GM-352 series, common to the
Tunguska, remains on offer.
Production Pantsir S1 systems combine the 2A38M 30 mm automatic cannon
system
with the high velocity 57E6E two stage CLOS missile, based on the
Tunguska's 9M311 series.
The 57E6E series SAM is unusual in it class as it is a two stage
weapon, designed for exceptionally high acceleration to effect
snapshots against fleeting targets such as heicopters. Compared to the
earlier 9M311 variants, the higher impulse booster stage pushes the
second stage to 1,100 m/s. KBP are marketing the system as a capability
to engage and destroy the full spectrum of airborne targets, comprising
aircraft, UAVs, cruise missiles, precision guided weapons, ballistic
missiles and soft skinned surface targets.
KBP define the basic capabilities of the Pantsir series thus (cite):
- High jamming immunity in intensive ECM environment;
- High survivability in massive employment of HARM-type
antiradar missiles;
- A capability of destroying high precision weapons, such as
Tomahawk cruise missile, Walleye 2 guided air bomb, Maverick guided
missile etc;
- A capability of engaging fixed- and rotary- wing aircraft,
RPVs, etc.;
- Effectiveness at any time of night and day, in good and
adverse weather;
- High mobility, specifically for protecting motorized and
armor units;
- High availability and reliability.
The Pantsir S introduced a 12 round missile capability, a thermal
imaging system to complement the optical tracker, and revised
engagement radar component.
The Pantsir S1 series has been primarily marketed in the road mobile
configuration, which is less costly to acquire and maintain, and trades
away off-road mobility for much higher 90 km/h road speed.
The Pantsir S1 introduces a number of important improvements over the
baseline Pantsir S. The new 57E6 missile replaces the established
9M331 series, this weapon provide 20 km range, 70% more than the
9M331M1, a significantly higher maximum target altitude, challenging
many area defence missiles, a larger 20 kg warhead, and more thrust to
accelerate the missile to 1,300 m/s in 2 seconds. The radar package is
also replaced, with a new planar array (claimed to be a PESA) search
radar, and an X-band engagement radar derived from Phazotron's fighter
phased arrays.
The new engagement radar is claimed to have a 45° off boresight
deflection angle, yielding coverage inside a 90° solid angle, with
mechanical elevation to provide up to 85° of vertical angular coverage.
It can track 20 targets and automatically prioritise the top three for
engagement, and four missiles can be concurrently gathered and tracked.
Electro-optical tracking turret on
Pantsir S1. The optics indicate a three field of view stabilised TV
system and a single field of view thermal imaging sensor (image
© Miroslav
Gyűrösi).
An opto-electronic search and tracking function is provided, in the
midwave and shortwave infrared bands. The missiles can be alternately
tracked by the engagement radar or the OE system. A digital datalink is
provide to permit networking of multiple Pantsir S1 systems in a
battery.
Early
configuration of operator
stations using CRT displays.
Crew
stations in the recent Pantsir S1E hosted on the GM-352 chassis (image
© Miroslav
Gyűrösi).
A more detailed analysis of the Ranzhir Command Post can be found under
Warsaw Pact /
Russian Air Defence Command Posts, and the tracked chassis under
Russian
and PLA Point Defence System Vehicles.
Engagement
and
Acquisition
Radars
The
Tunguska/Pantsir
family
of the SPAAGMs has seen a range of different
radar packages installed since the initial IOC in 1983. All follow the
model established by the 1960s 9K33 / SA-8 Gecko, with a 360º search
radar for acquisition and coarse tracking, and narrow beam precision
tracking radar on the front of the system turret, used for target and
missile beacon tracking.
The earliest 2K22/2S6 Tunguska variants employed a radar
package, which used a 1RL144 search radar with a singly curved
cylindrical
parabolic section reflector, and a Cassegrain monopulse tracking
antenna. This design has been designated the Hot Shot in Western
literature. It was supplemented by a 1RL138 IFF interrogator. Russian
references list no less than four variants of of the search radar as
1RL144 for the Tunguska, 1RL144M for the Tunguska M, and the
1RL144M-VA/VS.
The development of the Pantsir S1 saw the introduction, initially, of a
search radar with a doubly curved parabolic surface and eliptical
shape. This was supplanted in production variants with a planar array,
claimed by some sources to be a passive phased array. The latter design
has since appeared on 2K22M1 Tunguska M1 demonstrators, as well as
tracked and wheeled 96K6 Pantsir S1 demonstrators.
Early Pantsir S1 demonstrators initially used an MMW band monopulse
tracking antenna, with a characteristic conical radome, with the
Russians claiming two discrete Phazotron designs in this configuration,
the 1L36-01 and later 1RS-2E. This design has since appeared on the
2K22M1 Tunguska M1 demonstrators.
Production examples of the Pantsir S1 use a much large Phazotron
passive phased array design, which appears to be a reuse of the X-band
Zhuk MF antenna designed for airborne applications.
A more detailed discussion can be found under
Engagement and
Fire Control Radars.
Optical Sensors
Early variants of the Tunguska series introduced an electroptical
tracker to provide silent angle tracking in jamming environments. There
are claims that an infrared search and track sensor was trialled, and
that recent production systems include a thermal imager and laser
rangefinder.
(Images via KBP, Vestnik
PVO) 9M311 and 57E6
Surface to
Air Missiles and 2A38 Gun
The 2K22 / 96K6 / SA-19 / SA-22 systems use variants of one basic
missile and one basic gun design.
The missile designs are all derivatives of the two stage command link
guided 9M311 weapon. This is a 42 kg launch weight missile, with a low
smoke motor intended to avoid problems with optical/infrared tracking
of targets and laser rangefinding. The second terminal kill stage is
unpowered and relies on kinetic energy imparted by the boost stage, the
design strategy intended to minimise the dead weight and drag of the
kill stage. Average missile speed is cited at 600 m/s (~Mach 2), and
the weapon has a cited capability to engage targets manoevring at 5-7G,
although this is not consistent with the cited 18G capability of the
missile.
Early variants of the missile use a laser proximity fuse, later
variants a radio proximity fuse, with a blast fragmentation warhead.
The fuse is triggered ~5 metres from the target. An impact fuse is also
provided, with the proximity fuse disabled for shots against surface
targets.
The 2A38 series 30 mm gun is a twin barrel revolver design with a belt
feed and an electrical drive. The barrels are cooled using water or an
anti-freeze fluid. The barrels can be elevated to +85º and depressed to
-9º relative to the turret base. Cited total rate of fire for the 2K22
variant of the gun is 4060-4810 rds/min with a muzzle velocity of
960-980 m/sec. A range of shell types are available including tracers,
HEI and fragmentation.
Pantsyr
S1 launching a missile at the Kapustin Yar test range (KBP).
Production and Exports
Due
to
its
late deployment during the Cold War, the 2K22/2S6 Tunguska was
never exported in the vast quantities seen with the ZSU-23-4P. Most
former Soviet 2S6 and 2S6M systems were claimed by Russia, Belarus and
the Ukraine upon the breakup of the USSR. Known export clients include
India (M and M1) and Morocco (M1).
The
Pantsir has been ordered by the UAE, Syria and Algeria. European
sources claim the PLA and Greece were negotiating for the system. The
system is offered on the
8 x 8 KAMAZ-6560, 8x8 MZKT-7930 and
tracked GM 352M1E chassis, or an EU sourced MAN 8 x 8
truck.
More recently images have also emerged of the 96K6 system installed on
a BAZ-6909 series 8 x 8 chassis, common to the S-300PMU2 / S-400
5P85TE2 TEL and NNIIRT Nebo M radar system. To date all operational
systems with Russian military units have been observed on the
KAMAZ-6560. The larger BAZ-6909 would offer better cross country
performance and potentially more reload rounds in storage.
Russian media reports in 2010 indicated that operational 96K6 / SA-22
batteries were being assigned to protect S-400 / SA-21 strategic SAM
system batteries from Precision Guided Munition (PGM) attacks. This is
consistent with previously published and planned air
defence doctrine.
