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PASARS L-70 40mm Bofors anti-aircraft gun

The idea during the construction of PASARSA-16 is that the system is easily used for targets in the air, but for targets on the ground. The Serbian ministry of Defense stated that the new Pasars-16 Terminator short range air defense system takes part to military exercises of the 98th Air Brigade of the Serbian Air Force and Air Defense at the Pasuljanske Livade training range. As of 2016 this was a concept vehicle, a conceptual project that had yet to be developed. In the end, many doubts remained when it came to the further fate of the PASARS-16 system.

There have been similar projects in the past when e.g. Before and during the NATO operation in 1999, the VTI worked on the RL-2 and RL-4 missile systems, where modified Russian air-to-air missiles R-3S, R-60 and R-73 were mounted on vehicles of the Prague artillery air defense system. During the war, shootings were even carried out with greater or lesser success, and the development of these systems was suspended in the following years.

The idea to make the L70 Bofors anti-aircraft gun in our country self-propelled existed in the 80's, when it was planned to place the cannon on the running part of the M-84 tank . At the beginning of that decade, the JNA procured 142 Bofors from Sweden together with Giraffe radars, which was then one of the most modern solutions in the world. The corps anti-aircraft defense of the Serbian Army needs a new system, both artillery and missile. There are currently about 54 obsolete Strela-1 missile systems in use, as well as only 6 somewhat more modern Strela-10s.

The PASARS-16 system, an anti-aircraft artillery and missile system called "Terminator", first shown in 2017 in Novi Sad, was constructed at the Military Technical Institute. "Terminator" was made in cooperation with several companies - Zastava TERVO, Jugoimport SDPR, and the hydraulics and final integration were made and performed by the company "Srboauto" in just 10 days.

The PASARS system is housed on a "FAP 2026BS / AV" armored chassis with six-wheel drive. Mobility and passability were achieved, and the transition from the march to the combat position is only 30-60 seconds. The 40mm Bofors cannon and two RLN-IC short-range missiles with infrared self-guidance are integrated on the armored turret. Two operators control the cannon and, in optional, the launch of the two surface-to-air missile RLN-1C missiles. The system has an effective range of 4.000m for the guns, 12.000 for the missiles, both to hit air and ground targets. PASARS is equipped with a modified Giraffe radar system, has a built-in automatic charger and a system for connection to the battery command.

Initially, in addition to the cannon, two RLN-IC surface-to-air missiles with infrared self - guidance, which was constructed on the basis of the Soviet R-13M air-to-air missile, were also integrated into the system. With the installation of these missiles, the system is intended for corps anti-aircraft defense and protection of important facilities on the territory with a range of 8 km in height and 12 km in distance. The RLN-IC rocket has a completely new engine, a new warhead, a proximity lighter and a modernized infrared self-guidance head. The integration of the TOMS optoelectronic station is also envisaged.

According to the characteristics of PASARS-16, the speed of firing from the cannon is 300 bullets per minute, the elevation of the cannon is from - 4 to 90 degrees, while the maximum range of the cannon is four kilometers. The Minister of Defence, Aleksandar Vulin, attended the June 2020 verification testing of the phase 2 prototype of the advanced anti-aircraft L-70 Bofors gun (PASARS) at the "Miokovci" firing range near Cacak, namely the segment related to firing at ground targets with time ammunition.

Assistant Minister for Material Resources, Nenad Miloradovic, PhD, pointed out that "PASARS" is one of the first complex combat systems that are being developed for the needs of the Serbian Armed Forces, and to which the spiral model of development is applied. "This means that when a system is so complex that it has a larger number of subsystems with which it is modernized and which are not at the same level of technological development and the tests are not completed at the same time, it is customary to test the subsystem which brings the basic improvement for the Serbian Armed Forces, to introduce it into armament and start using it, and then subsequently, as other subsystems are verified, the previous version is upgraded" Assistant Minister Miloradovic pointed out.

According to him, the "PASARS" system was introduced into the armament last year after rigorous tests, and the production of the first battery of this system is being completed within the zero series. "We are now testing the prototype of this phase 2 AA system, which means the verification of four more new subsystems that all "PASARS" will be equipped with, including those from the zero series. We are testing a new diesel electric generator and power subsystem, a new driver vision subsystem, i.e. for driving with front and rear cameras in the daytime and at night, a new thermal imaging sight, which will significantly improve the system’s capability and a new subsystem for electronic timing of pre-fragmented ammunition" said Assistant Minister Miloradovic.

He pointed out that they have performed a firing at the firing range in "Miokovci" to test that type of ammunition and "everyone was able to see for themselves how efficient it is".

"This is a new pre-fragmented projectile which, in addition to the standard shell body casing, also has Tungsten balls of large penetration capability, and it also has a new type of fuse through which it receives a radio command from the electronic timing subsystem installed on the vehicle when to explode. This ensures that all projectiles explode in the air above and in front of the appropriate target, which multiplies the effect of projectile and the effects on the target are much greater" said Assistant Minister Miloradovic, adding that this will significantly increase the efficiency of the units of the Serbian Armed Forces equipped with this anti-aircraft system, when engaging both air and ground targets - infantry, light vehicles, and other unarmoured targets.

The Assistant Minister for Material Resources points out that the radio transmitter is mounted on the vehicle and is connected with the appropriate electronics to the fire control system of that weapon. "This type of ammunition is the latest "trend" in the world, weapons using medium and large caliber ammunition are also equipped with it, and our 30 and 40 mm guns, but also 125 mm tank guns, will be equipped with this type of projectile and timing system" said Miloradovic.

Captain Aleksandar Stanojevic, the project manager for the modernization of the Bofors anti-aircraft system, points out that this system is important for the Serbian Armed Forces because the Bofors gun was once towed, and now it is self-propelled. He also said that all tests were carried out without any problems. "We had the opportunity to attend the verification tests of new components and subsystems that were installed in prototype 2 of the modernized 40 mm Bofors AA gun. These are the thermal imaging sight, the subsystem for firing with time ammunition, the new electric generator, as well as the driver vision subsystem with cameras for day and night driving" Captain Stanojevic emphasized.

As part of the verification tests, 40 mm time ammunition was fired, where we could see the effects of this ammunition on the target - said Captain Stanojevic, adding that based on the achieved results, new components and subsystems are expected to be introduced into the armament and that the Serbian Armed Forces will get a series of modernized Bofors with all the new components and subsystems.

The firing was also attended by the Head of the Operations Department of the General Staff, Major General Želimir Glišovic, the Deputy Army Commander, Brigadier General Vladeta Baltic, and the Commander of the Second Army Brigade, Brigadier General Željko Kuzmanovic.