Norway: Polish Piorun MANPADS Live Tested

The Norwegian army proudly showcased the initial live-fire tests of the new „Piorun” man-portable air defence systems. According to the official profile of the Norwegian Armed Forces on X, the systems are currently undergoing test firings in the Finnmark region of Norway, the only part of the country that shares a land border with Russia.

Norway, which ordered the Piorun MANPADS in late 2022, is also one of four countries participating in the joint procurement program for these anti-aircraft systems. In July, Defence24.pl reported that Norway, along with Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland also decided to apply for funding under the European EDIRPA program for the purchase of the Piorun system.

Piorun MANPADS has been developed within the framework of the domestic industry’s R&D effort, pursued since 2010 by Mesko S.A. (leader), Telesystem-Mesko, and the Military University of Technology. The project has used experiences gathered during the development of the Grom missile.

Piorun MANPADS (combat-proven in Ukraine), which can effectively neutralize aerial threats at ranges from 400 m to more than 6.5 km, at altitudes ranging from 10 m to more than 4 km. It remains highly resilient in the presence of countermeasures.