Russian state media has released footage showing the use of the Gibka-S short-range air defense system mounted on a Tigr armored vehicle chassis, reportedly operating along the Pokrovske axis in eastern Ukraine.
According to the manufacturer, the Gibka-S is designed to monitor airspace, detect aerial targets, and engage them using man-portable air defense missiles. The vehicle-based launcher hosts up to four ready-to-fire Igla-S or Verba missiles, with space for four additional reloads stored onboard.
The Gibka-S, often described as a mobile platform for shoulder-fired missiles, is intended to provide tactical units with a responsive short-range air defense capability.
The system can be operated autonomously or linked to a central command network. It may also receive target data from a nearby Garmon mobile radar system, the developer says.
As noted by Russian defense outlets, the Gibka-S system can engage aerial targets at distances of up to 6 kilometers and altitudes of up to 3.5 kilometers with the Igla-S missile. The Verba missile offers slightly increased performance, with a maximum engagement range of 6.5 kilometers and a ceiling of 4.5 kilometers.
Russian media claimed the system is being used to counter unmanned aerial threats and low-flying aircraft in the conflict zone.
This is one of the few documented instances of the Gibka-S being used in combat. The system remains rare, with limited operational deployment observed since its introduction.
Ukrainian forces previously reported a successful strike on a Gibka-S unit in early 2024, destroying the vehicle during a precision engagement.