A different "Pantsir" was seen in Russian exercises: what has changed in it?
In the footage released from the "Center-2026" military exercises, a "Pantsir" air defense system mounted on a Belarusian chassis was spotted. Military observers identify it as the "Pantsir-S1M" on the MZKT-7930-312 platform.
An unusual "Pantsir" appeared in Russian exercises: what has been upgraded?
The most prominent feature in the footage is that the system is mounted on a chassis manufactured by the Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant.
Behind the cabin, equipment compartments are visible, and above them is the combat module with the antenna and rocket launcher containers. Alongside the missile weapons, there are also autocannons.
At the same time, it is impossible to determine from the photos exactly what electronics and missiles are installed on this specific vehicle, or its full technical capabilities.
Reports that such a variant was being prepared had circulated previously. According to information based on an investigation by the BELPOL association published in November 2025, 18 MZKT-7930-312 chassis were ordered for "Pantsir" systems in early 2024. In the summer of that year, the KBP Instrument Design Bureau in Tula reportedly announced that the platform had successfully passed testing.
This information pertains to the chassis order. It does not confirm that 18 completed air defense systems have been delivered: installing and testing combat equipment on the vehicle platform is a separate stage.
The "Pantsir-S1M" modification itself is not new. Rosoboronexport presented it in materials for the IDEX 2021 exhibition as one of the elements of a counter-drone system.
The system is designed to protect military and industrial facilities from aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, guided aerial bombs, and unmanned aerial vehicles. Target detection and tracking systems, as well as missile and autocannon weaponry, are integrated into a single vehicle.
According to the manufacturer, the S1M modification can detect aerial targets at a range of up to 80 kilometers, and engage them at a distance of up to 30 kilometers and an altitude of up to 18 kilometers. These figures are the general characteristics declared for the modification, not the individual test results of the vehicle seen in the exercise.
More than 47,000 military personnel were involved in the "Tsentr-2026" strategic command and staff exercises. The exercises were conducted at 11 training grounds and in the waters of the Caspian Sea. According to the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin observed the practical actions of the troops at the Chebarkul training ground in the Chelyabinsk region on October 2.