Will Piorun Go to Romania? Bucharest on a Spending Spree
Photo. Mesko
The modernisation of Romania’s air defence is accelerating. Media reports indicate that the country plans to buy not only Mistral 3 systems from France and SPYDER systems from Israel, but also Italian radars and Polish Piorun missiles — all as part of a procurement process in which the Israeli offer was selected. PGZ, however, has not commented on a potential sale to Romania.
According to Defence Romania, the Romanian Ministry of Defence (Ministerul Apărării Naționale, MApN) intends to acquire Mistral 3 short-range air-defence systems produced by the French branch of MBDA. While described as „man-portable,” the Mistral system is tripod-mounted, unlike Poland’s shoulder-launched Piorun. The planned purchase includes around 200 launchers and approximately 1,000 Mistral 3 missiles. The €626 million deal (excluding VAT) will be funded through the EU’s EDIRPA programme. Romania is the ninth country to join the European joint procurement of Mistral 3.
However, this does not rule out a potential export success for the Piorun. In a separate tender for SHORAD-VSHORAD (short and very short-range air defence), Romania selected an Israeli offer, which may include Piorun missiles. As reported by HotNews.ro, Romania plans to acquire Israeli SPYDER systems in an unusual configuration. A framework agreement was signed on 18 June between state-owned C.N. Romtehnica S.A. and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems of Israel. It covers Israeli launchers and Python 5 and Derby missiles, but reportedly also includes Italian Leonardo radars (instead of Israeli IAI Elta MMR) and Polish Piorun missiles.
The Piorun is a Polish very short-range air-defence system capable of engaging aerial targets at distances from 400 metres to over 6.5 kilometres, and at altitudes from around 10 metres to 4 kilometres. It has been combat-tested in Ukraine and exported to Norway, Moldova, Estonia, and Latvia.
The framework agreement, valued at 10.33 billion lei (around €2.03 billion excluding VAT), includes three planned implementation contracts. Under the SHORAD-VSHORAD programme, Romania will procure six VSHORAD systems armed with Piorun and Python 5 missiles. The latter has a range of up to 15 kilometres. An equal number of SHORAD systems armed with Derby missiles will provide coverage at ranges between 20 and 50 kilometres. The package also includes training tools (such as simulators), a logistics package, and a stockpile of ammunition.
The framework agreement will remain in force for seven years. The first two VSHORAD systems are scheduled for delivery within three years. Initially, 18 systems were planned, but budget constraints appear to have reduced the scale of the order. The Israeli SPYDER system outperformed Germany’s IRIS-T SL and France’s VL MICA. These new systems will replace ageing Soviet-era equipment such as the 9K33 Osa (SA-8 Gecko) and 2K12 Kub (SA-6 Gainful), still in service with the Romanian Armed Forces, and will complement the American-made MIM-104 Patriot system at lower layers of Romania’s air-defence network.
PGZ, the parent company of Piorun manufacturer Mesko, has not commented on reports of a potential Romanian contract. It’s possible that, under the structure of the procurement process, the supplier of the very short-range system will deal not directly with the Romanian government, but with Rafael as the programme’s main contractor.
