TULA, March 21 (RIA Novosti) - Russia will deliver 24 Pantsir S1 (NATO reporting name SA-22 Greyhound) anti-aircraft surface-to-air missile systems in 2008, a first deputy prime minister said on Friday.

Sergei Ivanov said the missile manufacturer, the Tula-based Instrument Making Design Bureau (KPB), has so far signed contracts for a total of 64 systems.

He added that the system has been tested both in Russia and abroad on a variety of targets, proving its high effectiveness.

Ivanov did not say how many SAMs will be exported.

However, KPB CEO Alexander Rybas said a delegation from Syria will arrive in Tula April 15 on a pre-delivery inspection visit.

Pantsir-S1 is a short to medium range combined surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery weapon system mounted either on a variety of mobile or stationary platforms.