Russia enlists WW2 tactics with new anti-aircraft towers around Moscow

The Russians are grappling with significant issues as Ukrainian drones continue to strike targets across western Russia. A network of towers equipped with Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft systems has been constructed around Moscow. This article explores whether this echoes the concept of the German Flak Towers from World War II and if it makes any strategic sense.

In the latter half of 2023, the Russians began building towers around Moscow for the Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft systems to enhance their effectiveness against low-flying targets.

This is an extension of their earlier plan to place Pantsir-S1 systems on the roofs of government buildings within the city. While the proximity of other buildings limited that approach, erecting Flak Tower-like structures in the suburbs offers certain strategic advantages.

One primary challenge for ground-based anti-aircraft radar systems is detecting targets flying just above tree level. Due to the radar horizon, the detection range is typically about 25 miles, depending on the target's signature.

It is logistically impossible for any country to secure a border that spans several thousand miles by placing anti-aircraft systems every 25 miles or less. One effective solution is to elevate the radar. Ideal examples include AWACS-type aircraft with aviation or mobile anti-aircraft systems in areas where intruders are detected.

However, Russia faces significant challenges in this regard due to its limited number of A-50 aircraft and the losses it has suffered. Consequently, the Russians are attempting to extend the range of their anti-aircraft systems by improvising ways to elevate the radar several dozen feet higher. Below is an example of a Pantsir-S1 firing missiles at a Ukrainian drone.

The history of the Pantsir-S1 dates back to Russia's tough economic period in the 1990s, when they sought a cheaper alternative to the 2K22 Tunguska artillery-missile system. Similar to the French efforts to find an economical howitzer, the Russians determined that significant savings could be achieved by mounting the new weapon system on a regular truck chassis rather than a costly tracked chassis.

However, the project's future in Russia was threatened due to budget constraints until the United Arab Emirates (UAE) expressed interest. The UAE's financial support enabled the project to be completed. Unlike in Soviet times, the system first entered service with foreign clients. The UAE received its systems mounted on German trucks in the early 2000s, while Russia only introduced its version in 2012.

The Pantsir-S1 features two radars: one for detecting targets and another for guiding weapons. The armament includes a pair of 30mm 2A38M automatic cannons, each capable of firing up to 2,500 rounds per minute, and an anti-aircraft missile launcher.

The cannon component offers a wide selection of ammunition and can engage targets up to 2.5 miles away. The missile section, with 12 launchers grouped in sets of six, facilitates firing at multiple targets simultaneously. According to Russian claims, the radio-command-guided missiles can engage targets 12 miles away and up to 9 miles at altitudes.

This is not a "fire and forget" system; operators must guide the missiles until they hit the target. Moreover, compared to modern systems like Skynex, the Russian solution lacks programmable ammunition.

Despite reasonable effectiveness against drones, the Pantsir-S1 systems perform relatively poorly against modern stealth cruise missiles such as Storm Shadow.