Air defense

New missile system for Russian Airborne Forces may get combat module from Sosna system

The air defense missile system that is currently being developed for the Russian Airborne Forces within the framework of the Ptitselov (Fowler) project may be equipped with the existing combat modules, including from the Sosna (Pine) system, a source in the Russian Defense Ministry told TASS on Thursday.

"The possibility of mounting combat modules from existing short-range air defense missile systems on the BMD-4M combat vehicle chassis is currently being considered within the framework of the Ptitselov experimental design work," the source said.

According to him, the Airborne Forces now use various modifications of the Strela-10 system. "Ptitselov may be equipped, along with the Strela, with the Sosna air defense missile system combat module," the source said.

Editor-in-Chief of the Arsenal Otechestva (Fatherland’s Arsenal) magazine Viktor Murakhovsky said that in his view, the Ptitselov system will most likely receive the Sosna combat module. "Sosna is a new-generation system with a new missile that outperforms the Strela-10MN system currently used by the Airborne Forces," the expert told TASS.