Poland’s state defense company PGZ produces roughly 1,300 Piorun man-portable air defense missiles annually, with plans to double output within three to four years. This high-volume production offers NATO allies an alternative to strained U.S. and Western lines and strengthens short-range air defense resilience.
The Piorun features a cooled infrared seeker, advanced counter-countermeasures, a dual-mode impact and proximity fuze, and a 1.82 kg fragmentation warhead. It is effective against drones, helicopters, and low-flying aircraft up to 6.5 km range and 4 km altitude. Its combat effectiveness has been proven in Ukraine, with multiple confirmed engagements against attack helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, and low-altitude cruise missiles.
Poland’s production ecosystem, led by Mesko S.A. and Telesystem Mesko, ensures efficient manufacturing of rocket motors, electronics, and seekers. Piorun is an evolutionary upgrade of the Grom missile, incorporating modern sensors and fuze systems.
In Polish service, Piorun integrates with Poprad mobile launchers and PSR-A Pilica/Pilica Plus batteries, allowing shoulder-fired teams to operate as part of a sensor-rich network. Export interest is strong, with Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Moldova, Sweden, Belgium, the U.S., and Ukraine as key users.
Western counterparts include the U.S. Stinger, French Mistral, and UK Starstreak. Piorun’s advantage lies in its balanced envelope, modern cooled seeker, robust countermeasures, and infantry-portable weight class. Poland now anchors NATO’s MANPADS supply chain, strengthening the alliance’s short-range air defense.
Looking ahead, the Piorun NG will target extended range beyond 8 km, a fully digital seeker, improved countermeasure resistance, and deeper integration with Pilica Plus and Narew batteries, securing Poland’s long-term role as a supplier and design authority in the VSHORAD segment.
