Russian-supplied Pantsir-S1 air defense systems in Iraq reportedly failed to intercept a recent wave of unidentified kamikaze drones, raising further doubts about the system’s effectiveness amid rising tensions in the Middle East.
According to the Defense Express media outlet, Iraq reportedly possesses 24 Pantsir-S1 systems, which currently form the backbone of its ground-based air defense.
However, the country has also contracted South Korea’s KM-SAM systems, possibly in response to concerns over Pantsir performance.
The drone attack occurred early on Tuesday, June 24, shortly after US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between Iran and Israel. The unidentified unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) targeted radar stations at the Taji military base and the Imam Ali airbase near Dhi Qar.
One drone reportedly crashed about 10 kilometers (6 miles) from Baghdad International Airport, near US forces stationed for anti-ISIS operations.
“The Pantsir-S1 systems in Iraq were unable to track the origin of the drone launches, let alone intercept them,” Defense Express wrote, calling the incident a “revealing failure.”
Iraqi authorities admitted they could not identify the launch points and have suggested – without evidence – that the US or Israel might have been involved. This was Iraq’s first such drone attack since its airspace was closed during the recent 12-day Iran-Israel war.
The Pantsir-S1 (NATO designation: SA-22 “Greyhound”) is a mobile surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery system designed to protect key military, industrial, and administrative sites from a range of aerial threats.
It can target aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, precision-guided munitions, and UAVs – especially at low altitudes. According to open sources, each Pantsir-S1 unit costs between $13.15 million and $14.67 million.
In early January, the Ukrainian Navy destroyed three Russian air defense systems in southern Ukraine within 24 hours, including two Pantsir-S1 units.
In 2024, reports showed Russia was increasingly deploying Pantsir-S1 systems across its cities and occupied Crimea, likely in response to Ukraine’s growing use of long-range drones.
Moreover, the Atesh partisan movement reported that Russia had also deployed Pantsir-S1 and S-300 missile systems to defend the Kerch Bridge from possible Ukrainian strikes.