Mesko Awarded Polish Armed Forces Contract for 3500 PPZR Piorun Manpads

MESKO S.A., part of Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa from Skar?yskoKamienna, has obtained a contract from the Armaments Agency for the supply of 3500 PIORUN MANPADS to the Polish Armed Forces. The contract covers the supply of 3,500 missiles and 600 starting mechanisms for PPZR PIORUN, which will be produced at MESKO S.A. and delivered to the Polish Armed Forces in the coming years. The first sets will be available this year. On 20 December 2016, representatives of the Management Board of Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa S.A. and members of the parliament, an agreement was signed between the company MESKO S.A., member of the PGZ Group, and the Armaments Inspectorate of the Ministry of National Defence. Its object is the production and supply of “PIORUN” man-portable air defence systems (MANPAD) for the Polish Armed Forces. The value of the contract is almost one billion Polish zlotys. Under the agreement, during the years 2017-2022 will produce and supply to the Polish Armed Forces 1300 missiles and 420 gripstocks, jointly forming the “PIORUN” man-portable air defence system (MANPAD).

The PIORUN MANPADS is the most innovative and technologically advanced product, the effectiveness of which is now known to the whole world. We are gradually increasing our production capacity to meet the needs of the Polish Armed Forces in the shortest possible time and to fulfill orders from allied countries. We have been preparing for the
increased intensity of work for many months,” said El?bieta ?reniawska, President of the Management Board of MESKO S.A.

“PIORUN sets, one of the flagship products of Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa, are modern and effective missiles from our company, MESKO. The deliveries will significantly strengthen the shortest layer of our country’s multi-layer air defense system, in which PGZ is involved. By investing in modern infrastructure, we increase the production capacity of our plants. Thanks to constant development we can increasingly participate in strategic projects for the modernization of the Polish army,” said Sebastian Chwa?ek, President of the Management Board of PGZ S.A.

The Piorun (meaning “thunderbolt” in Polish) is a man-portable air-defense system of Polish production, designed to destroying low-flying aircraft, airplanes, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles. The Piorun system including the launch unit and the missile has a total weight of 16.5 kg. The design is based on the Soviet-made 9K38 Igla (SA-18 Grail). In February 2022, Mesko company from Skarzysko-Kamienna successfully negotiated a deal with the US Department of Defense. Its object is the production and supply of “PIORUN” man-portable air defense systems (MANPAD) for the U.S. Army. The Polish Minister of Defense has adopted a resolution to provide local-made Piorun GROM-M MANPADS man-portable air defense missile systems to Ukraine following the tensions with Russia. As a member of NATO, Poland wants to show its support to Ukraine by supplying military equipment and weapons including Piorun GROM-M MANPADS man-portable air defense missile systems.

The set is a deep modernization of the PPZR Grom set, therefore the second designation of the missile is GROM-M. It uses a new short-range missile including a new warhead that can hit a flying target at a distance from 400 m to 6 km and from an altitude of 10 m minimum to 4 km maximum. In comparison with its predecessor, the GROM MANPADS, the range was increased and the capabilities were extended. Both of these solutions have been proven in combat. The Piorun is designed to be operated by one soldier. It consists of a single-stage projectile, a single-use tubular launcher, a starting mechanism, and an on-ground power supply. The Piorun system including the launch unit and the missile has a total weight of 16.5 kg, the same as for the GROM. One of the main features of the new Piorun, there is a mini keyboard on the right side of the trigger module which can be used to select types of targets, environments, and work modes. There is also a day/night optical sight mounted on the tube launcher.