By Aiyeku Timothy
A secretive U.S. military flight to Libya is reported to have made away with one of Russia’s most modern air defense weapon systems – Pantsir S-1 surface-to-air missile system.
The U.S. Air Force flew the Pantsir S-1 surface-to-air missile system, which Libyan government forces captured, out of the country on a military transport flight for parts unknown.
The Palantir was shipped to Zuwara air base. Then, a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III transport flew into the airport, picked up the truck-mounted system, and flew it north to Ramstein Air Base in Germany until the trail went cold.
The Pantsir S-1 is one of Russia’s first post-Cold War, low-level air-defense systems which consists of 12 57E6 short-range, radar- and electro-optically-guided surface-to-air missiles with a maximum range of 11 miles. The weapons load is rounded out with a pair of 30-millimeter, radar-directed autocannons. The entire system sits on the bed of a 8×8 truck chassis.
The acquisition of a Pantsir, designed to defend against U.S. and NATO aircraft, is a windfall to the U.S. intelligence community.
Reports claim the secret mission to Libya took place in June 2020. The Pantsir, which the United Arab Emirates bought from Russia and gave to the Libyan government, had been abandoned and then captured by a local militia. Government forces eventually got the system back and transferred the system to a base hosting Turkish military forces.
The Pantsir is meant to provide air defense to headquarters, supply units, air bases, and other important sites from threats including low-level fixed wing aircraft, helicopters, drones, and even cruise missiles.
