Russia has announced that the Pantsir air defense system will soon be outfitted with a laser complex as part of ongoing modernization efforts. 

First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Denis Manturov, revealed the news during a press briefing on the sidelines of the IDEX 2025 defense exhibition in Abu Dhabi. He stated that the development of the laser system is already in progress. 

“Today, work is underway on a laser complex, which, among other things, will be used on the Pantsir in the near future,” he said. 

While he refrained from offering further technical details about the laser system, the announcement highlights yet another step toward improving the Pantsir system’s effectiveness in modern warfare. 

The Pantsir system, widely used by the Russian Armed Forces, has long been a key component of Russia’s defense strategy. The Pantsir is capable of intercepting various airborne threats, such as aircraft, drones, and missiles. It combines both missile and gun systems to provide a multi-layered defense shield.

Moscow said that the system’s proven performance in conflict zones has made it a sought-after option for nations looking to increase their air defense capabilities.

Manturov mentioned that the Pantsir is continuously undergoing modernization to stay ahead of emerging threats. One recent update, he pointed out, is the addition of mini-missiles designed specifically for countering drones.

These smaller, more cost-effective missiles are a significant upgrade and offer a good alternative to using expensive traditional anti-aircraft-guided missiles for dealing with small, agile aerial threats. 

This addition, Manturov said, has sparked renewed interest among international customers, thereby boosting the system’s appeal on the global stage.

The announcement of the laser complex comes as nations around the world seek to advance their military technologies and improve defense against increasingly sophisticated threats, particularly drones. 

The integration of a laser system into the Pantsir’s defense arsenal is likely to provide an additional layer of precision and firepower, potentially transforming how the system engages with targets in the future. 

Pantsir Air Defense System

The Pantsir anti-aircraft missile-gun system has proven to be an integral part of Russia’s defense strategy in shielding key military, government, and industrial facilities from drone attacks. 

As the ongoing conflict with Ukraine intensifies, the Pantsir system has become even more crucial, deployed in prominent locations such as rooftops in Moscow and around one of President Vladimir Putin’s residences. 

These deployments are part of a larger strategy to fortify Russia’s capital with layered air defenses, including advanced S-400 long-range surface-to-air missile batteries.

The deliberate focus on utilizing the Pantsir-SMD-E for the point defense of critical infrastructure against drone threats reflects the increasingly tangible and multifaceted nature of the danger posed by Ukraine’s uncrewed aerial assaults. 

These strikes, which have evolved in both complexity and scale, now extend deeper into Russian territory, imperiling strategically important military, governmental, and industrial installations that were previously deemed secure from such advanced forms of warfare. 

The Pantsir system, first introduced in the early 2010s, has gained a mixed reputation due to its varied performance in combat situations. Despite this, it remains a staple in Russia’s arsenal. 

In particular, the system has been used in some high-profile situations, including in Syria, where it gained attention in 2022 for firing at a US MQ-9 Reaper drone.

Despite its mixed track record, the system continues to evolve, with recent upgrades intended to improve its radar capabilities based on lessons learned from its deployment in Syria and Ukraine.

Meanwhile, one of the major upgrades to the Pantsir system was highlighted at the IDEX 2025 exhibition in Abu Dhabi, where the newest variant, the Pantsir-SMD-E, was showcased. 

As stated, this upgraded version is equipped with mini-missiles specifically designed to counter the growing threat of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). 

According to Bekkhan Ozdoev, industrial director of the weapons, ammunition, and special chemicals cluster of the Rostec state corporation, the Pantsir-SMD-E can counter drones by replacing an entire battery of other anti-aircraft systems. 

“The complex is capable of using a large number of mini-missiles to destroy drones. In fact, one such combat module replaces a battery of other anti-aircraft missile systems when combating UAVs. Only one complex can launch 48 mini-missiles at the enemy. Pantsir-SMD-E confirmed the declared characteristics during the tests,” he said. 

Ozdoev added that the Pantsir-SMD-E is an “absolute exclusive” in the air defense market, claiming that no other systems have similar capabilities. 

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