SEVASTOPOL, October 17. /TASS/: Air defense troops fired S-400 and Pantsir anti-aircraft missile systems to defend facilities against an attack by a notional enemy’s aircraft and helicopters in Crimea drills, the press office of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet reported on Thursday.
"During the drills in Crimea, the crews of aircraft and helicopters of the Black Sea Fleet’s naval aviation ‘attacked’ installations that were defended by the crews of S-400 Triumf and Pantsir air defense systems. The crews of Su-24 and Su-30 planes and Mi-8 and Ka-27 helicopters from the Black Sea Fleet’s naval aviation simulated targets for the air defense alert forces," the press office said in a statement.
During the drills, the aircraft and helicopters performed their assignments both at top speeds at a maximum distance from radar-covered areas and at ultra-low altitudes following terrain features, which complicated the task for air defense forces.
In turn, the combat crews of air defense systems detected the notional enemy’s aircraft and helicopters and conducted electronic missile launches.
Overall, the drills involved five aircraft and three helicopters, including Su-24MR reconnaissance planes, Su-24M frontline bombers, Su-30SM multirole fighters, Mi-8 and Ka-27 helicopters and S-400 Triumf and Pantsir systems from the Southern Military District’s Air Force and Air Defense Army.
Russia’s S-400 Triumf (NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler) is the latest long- and medium-range surface-to-air missile system that went into service in 2007. It is designed to destroy aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, and can also be used against ground installations. The S-400 can engage targets at a distance of up to 400 km and at an altitude of up to 30 km under intensive enemy fire and jamming.
The Pantsir-S1 (NATO reporting name: SA-22 Greyhound) is a ground-based self-propelled surface-to-air missile/gun system designed to shield military and civilian facilities, including long-range air defense systems, from all modern and future air attack weapons.
The Pantsir mounted on the truck chassis for greater mobility is armed with two 30mm guns, each of which is capable of firing up to 40 rounds per second, as well as 12 anti-aircraft missiles.
