A Panstir-S1 system at Russia’s Khmeimim Air Base in Syria
Air defense and electronic warfare systems deployed at the Russian Hmeimim airbase on the Syrian coast have shot down or disabled over 100 hostile drones in the last two years, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense of Russia announced on September 27.
Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov revealed that most of the drones were launched from Idlib’s demilitarized zone, mainly from the towns of al-Lataminah, Khan Shaykhun.
“Terrorists are trying to break through the Hmeimim base’s air defenses. If we speak about figures, 118 unmanned aerial vehicles of terrorist groupings have been destroyed over the past two years, including 58 drones since January 1 this year,” the Russian general said, according to the Russian news agency, TASS.
Maj. Gen. Konashenkov added: “our Pantsir-S1 and Tor-M2 air defense missile systems also thwart terrorists’ attempts to deliver a strike with rockets. Since January 1, 2019, 27 rocket-propelled shells of terrorist groupings launched mostly from the Idlib security area have been destroyed.”
Only 31 missiles were used to shot down the 27 rockets. The general noted that this is close to a 1:1 success ratio.
According to Maj. Gen. Konashenkov, a layered air defense system, consisting of S-400, Pantsir-S1 and Tor-M2 systems, was set up in Hmeimim airbase.
“These capabilities allow the Russian military to strike all types of air targets at a range of 20 km to 250 km,” the general said.
Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and other al-Qaeda-affiliated groups in Greater Idlib are believed to be responsible for these repeated attacks on Hmeimim airbase.
