Short video footage was recently published on youtube by Russia’s Defense Ministry, shows the ultra-light anti-aircraft system dubbed Gibka-S vehicle firing missiles at several drone targets and hitting all of them. The new vehicle passed the state trials with flying colors, knocking down mock targets with pinpoint accuracy. The new anti-aircraft system is capable of firing its weaponry while traveling at speeds of up to 30 km/h (18.6 mph). Thus the vehicle is able to provide cover for moving military units, knocking down any incoming low-flying targets without slowing down troops’ advance.
The Gibka-S light anti-aircraft system is basically a Russian GAZ Tigr (Tiger) armored car fitted with a state-of-art optical and electronic targeting system, as well as weaponry mount suitable for several man-portable anti-aircraft systems (MANPADS). During the trials, the vehicle was apparently fitted with Igla-type launchers, though it’s said to be able to use any existing Russian-made systems of this sort. Footage of the trials also shows another Tigr vehicle fitted with a small radar. Russia’s military did not provide any information on this machine, but one can assume it is a support and command vehicle, used together with the Gibka-S.
The GAZ Tigr (Tiger) is a Russian 4×4, multipurpose, all-terrain infantry mobility vehicle manufactured by GAZ, first delivered to the Russian Army in 2006. Primarily used by the Russian Federation’s armed forces, it is also used by numerous other countries. The vehicle was designed to transport troops and various equipment quickly on road and off-road. It has a chassis frame construction, with a traditional layout of front engine, middle crew compartment, and rear cargo area. Standard features include: power steering, independent all-wheel torsion suspension with hydraulic shock absorbers and stabilizer bars, a transfer case with a locking center differential, limited slip differentials, two-speed transfer case, automatic tire inflation, engine block heater, and electric winch.
The Gibka-S is an anti-aircraft Tigr variant carrying four Igla-S or 9K333 Verba MANPADS tubes on a retractable launching station. The Tigr chassis has been fitted with the 1L122E radar to allow the vehicle to simultaneously locate 15 aerial targets per second and perform target assessment in one second. Its purpose is to give Russian soldiers armed with MANPADS a command and target indication vehicle to receive more precise target data. The vehicle can deploy within five minutes and operate in temperatures from -50 to 60 degrees Celsius (-58 to 132 degrees Fahrenheit). Development started in mid-2013, with the first prototype delivered in May 2014.
