Starting with the Pantsir-S1 (Russian: Панцирь-С1, NATO reporting name SA-22 Greyhound) as the first version, it is produced by KBP Instrument Design Bureau of Tula, Russia, and is the successor to the Tunguska M1.

[6] It is a short to medium range ground-based air defence system, wheeled, tracked or stationary with two to three operators.

Its air defense consists of automatic anti-aircraft guns and surface-to-air missiles with radar or optical target-tracking and radio-command guidance.

Its purpose is the protection of civil and military point and area targets, for motorised or mechanised troops up to regimental size or as defensive asset of higher ranking air defence systems like S-300/S-400.

Final test series prior to delivery in May 2007 at Kapustin Yar included forced travel of 250 km (160 mi) to an unprepared launch position, simulating a typical air-defence mission.

The system uses two GSh-6-30K/AO-18KD 30 mm (1.2 in) six-barrel rotary cannons, as found on the Kashtan/Kortik CIWS, eight missiles instead 12 and an additional radar separate from the one fitted on top of the turret itself.

It may be fitted with surface-to-air missiles from both Pantsir-S and Hermes-K air defence systems with maximum firing range of the later of up to 100 km (62 mi).

[37][38] The specific feature of the Pantsir-S1 system is the combination of a multiple-band target acquisition and tracking system in conjunction with a combined missile and gun armament creating a continuous target engagement zone from 5 m (16 ft) height and 200 m (660 ft) range up to 15 km (9.3 mi) height and 20 km (12 mi) range, even without any external support.

Wheeled combat vehicles have to be jacked up to keep the machine in the horizontal position and be able to fire the gun with full accuracy.

Minimum target size 2–3 square centimetres (0.31–0.47 sq in) (0.0004 square metres (0.0043 sq ft))[43] As well as radar, the fire control system has an electro-optic channel with a long-wave thermal imager and an infrared direction finder, including digital signal processing and automatic target tracking.

[49] On 15 May 2020, Turkish media showed a Pantsir system belonging to the LNA targeted in a GNA drone strike near the Al-Watiya Air Base, southwest of Tripoli.

[55][56] Later, it was reported that the captured Pantsir battery was the same targeted three days before and it was transferred by the United States to Ramstein Air Base in Germany in June 2020.

[57][58] On 20 May 2020, Mohammed Gununu, a GNA spokesman claimed their forces had destroyed 7 Pantsir TLARs in Al-Watiya airbase, Tarhouna and Al-Wishka.

[64] Electronic warfare systems allegedly were at times able to jam Pantsir's radar and then forwarded the information to drone operators.

A Russian poster displayed at the International Military Technical Forum «ARMY-2017», from March to July 2017, claimed that the Russia's Pantsir-S systems deployed in Syria destroyed 12 flying objects, including the UAVs Heron, Bayraktar, RQ-21A, and also various missiles and an aerostat.

[69][70] On 27 December 2017, militants fired several missiles from the Bdama inhabited community at Latakia International Airport and the Russian Aerospace Forces deployment site in the Khmeimim Air Base.

[71] In the night of 5–6 January 2018, the Khmeimim Air Base was attacked by 13 aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Seven drones were eliminated by the Pantsir air defence systems, six landed at assigned coordinates with the use of electronic warfare hardware.

[72] On 14 April 2018, American, British, and French forces launched a barrage of 103 air-to-surface and cruise missiles targeting eight sites in Syria.

[83] A Syrian Pantsir-S1 system was claimed to be destroyed by the Turkish Armed Forces during strikes on Syria in the night of 27–28 February 2020.

[85][86][87] Russian media claimed that the footage was CGI saying that the traces of missing video fragments and debris having the same size and shape after the explosion.

[88][89] On 10 March 2020, the Russian Defence Ministry confirmed two Pantsir-S1 systems were damaged during the recent Turkey-Syria clashes, adding that repair works were nearing completion.

Vadim Kulit, deputy chief of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of the Opposing Parties in Syria, claimed that seven missiles were downed by the Russian-made Pantsir-S and Buk-M2 systems of the Syrian Air Defense Forces.

The militant drone was downed over the Hama Province by the Syrian air defense who used a Russia-produced Pantsir-S missile system, Kulit claimed the next day.

[94] Syrian air defense forces shot down 22 missiles fired by Israel into Syria using Russian-made Buk-M2E and Pantsir-S systems, Rear Adm. Vadim Kulit said on 20 August 2021.

Syrian air defense forces shot down twenty-one out of twenty-four missiles fired by Israel into Syria using Russian-made Buk-M2E and Pantsir-S systems, Rear Adm. Vadim Kulit said on September 3, 2021.

[95] Syrian air defense forces shot down 8 out of 12 missiles fired by Israel in Syria using Russian-made Pantsir-S systems, Rear Adm. Vadim Kulit said on October 8, 2021.

[96] Syrian air defense forces shot down ten out of twelve missiles fired by Israel into Syria using Russian-made Buk-M2E and Pantsir-S systems, Rear Adm. Vadim Kulit said on November 24, 2021.

While no official explanation has been given, Ukraine has conducted strikes inside Russia such as at the Engels-2 (air base) a number of times in 2022.

[122] Mr Sobyanin said: "Three of them (drones) were suppressed by electronic warfare, lost control and deviated from their intended targets.