Germany is planning to acquire Poland’s homegrown Piorun man-portable air defense system (MANPADS).
Polish Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk announced Berlin’s potential adoption, although he did not reveal corresponding details regarding the quantity, cost, and timeline of the future deal.
“Germany has expressed a preliminary interest in purchasing the Piorun and we should be proud of this, as it shows how innovations in the Polish defence industry influence how we are perceived in the world and the interests of our country,” Reuters quoted Tomczyk as saying.
He cautioned that Germany has not yet concluded a decision, and that talks to pursue the sale remain ongoing. “The matter still requires finalization,” he said.
In a separate statement, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk noted that part of the weapons are bound for the German Armed Forces, while the remainder will be transferred to Ukraine.
About the Piorun
The Piorun, launched by Poland’s state-owned defense corporation Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa and its subsidiaries Mesko and Jelcz in 2019, is designed to engage low-flying aircraft, helicopters, and drones.
It measures 2 meters (7 feet) long, fires a warhead built with high-explosive octogen chemical and aluminum powder, and uses a solid-fuel rocket motor for deployment.
The weapon has a maximum altitude of up to 4,000 meters (13,123 feet) and can neutralize targets from 400 meters (1,312 feet) to 6.5 kilometers (4 miles) at Mach 2 (2,470 kilometers/1,535 miles per hour).
The MANPADS has already been used by Kyiv in its ongoing war with Russia, and exported to countries including Belgium, Sweden, the Baltic states, Norway, and the US.
