Russia Deploys World’s Heaviest Helicopters to Strengthen Moscow’s Air Defences as Ukraine Sustains Drone Attacks

The Russian Aerospace Forces have deployed the world’s heaviest type of helicopter, the Mi-26, to lift Pantsir-SMD-E short range air defence systems onto the roofs of major buildings in Moscow, highlighting ongoing efforts being made to strengthen the capital’s defences against continued attacks being launched from Ukraine. The Mi-26 notably has an empty weight less than half its maximum takeoff weight, which is important to its continued record holding position as the helicopter with the world’s largest carrying capacity. Each can lift over 50 tons of weight, with a maximum takeoff weight estimated at 105 tons, making it ideal for redeploying large assets, including airliners and medium weight helicopters, by air. The aircraft was developed in the Soviet Union, and saw procurements resumed in the 2010s, namely of the enhanced Mi-26T variant, as the Aerospace Forces began tor receive new funding for procurements. 

The Pantsir-SMD-E has a self-contained static configuration, and was designed to protect static infrastructure from uncrewed aerial threats, with each able to integrate up to 48 small TKB-1055 anti-drone interceptors. They can also be configured to integrate 12 larger 57E6 short-range command-guided surface-to-air missiles. Each integrates two radars in its turret, one for detecting and tracking targets, and another for missile guidance. Deploying the systems on rooftops provides safer firing locations, and limits the possibility of buildings obstructing each system’s line of fire. It remains possible that the Pantsir-SMD-E will soon begin to be deployed in the centres of other cities in western Russia, with the growing reach of drone attacks being launched from Ukraine raising the possibility that targets in central Russia, including industrial heartlands in the Urals region, will also begin to receive such protection. Russian officials have long warned that existing air defences have proven inadequate to provide a defence against sustained large scale drone attacks, with the deployment of the Pantsir-SMD-E expected to be one of multiple solutions explored.  

Pantsir air defence combat vehicles have been widely deployed by Russian frontline units, including in both Ukraine and Syria, as well as by foreign clients such as the Libyan National Army and the Syrian Arab Army. The system first entered service in 2012, with early variants designed to employ a combination of 57E6M surface-to-air missiles and twin 2A38M 30mm anti-aircraft autocannon. By the beginning of the 2020s the system had already shot down over 100 drones and at least one fighter, with the most high intensity combat taking place in the Syrian theatre. The system’s ability to provide a defence against Western radar evading cruise missiles such as the Storm Shadow is reported to have been enhanced significantly based on combat experience in the Ukrainian theatre. Alongside combat vehicles, a navalised variant of the Pantsir system has also been integrated onto Russian Navy warships and on warships in the Korean People’s Army Navy.