Belgium Purchases 40 Polish Piorun MANPADS

The Belgian government has approved the purchase of Polish-made Piorun man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS).

MilMag reported this news, citing Minister of Defence of Belgium Theo Francken.

According to the report, Belgium plans to acquire 40 launchers and several hundred missiles at a total cost of €137 million. Delivery is expected by the end of this year.

A letter of intent signed in May includes an option for an additional 200-300 launchers. The initial batch is likely intended to provide rapid operational capability, with further acquisitions to follow.

The missiles will be delivered to the Belgian Land Component’s Special Operations Regiment (SOR). Belgium’s current arsenal includes French-made Mistral 3 systems.

Given the armed forces’ planned expansion, Piorun may be viewed as a stopgap to address shortfalls in short-range air defense. However, it could eventually serve alongside the Mistral 3.

Piorun MANPADS

The Piorun is an upgraded version of Poland’s Grom system, developed by Mesko. It features an infrared seeker with four times higher sensitivity than its predecessor.

The missile carries a 1.82 kg warhead and can engage targets at altitudes up to 4,000 meters and at ranges up to 6,500 meters.

Poland first transferred Piorun systems to Ukraine in early February 2022. The quantity was not disclosed.

The system has gained traction due to its battlefield performance and amid a global shortage of MANPADS. Customers now include Norway, Estonia, Lithuania, Georgia, and Slovakia.

The United States is also evaluating a potential purchase. Meanwhile, Poland is developing a next-generation variant, the Piorun NG.