Poland Delivers Piorun MANPADS to Estonia

Poland has delivered the Piorun Shoulder-Launched Air Defense Missile (MANPADS) to the Estonian Army.

The delivery comes as part of a €103 million contract signed between the two nations in 2022.

The Piorun MANPADS, produced by Mesko SA, is a portable air defense system resulting from a collaborative research and development initiative between Mesko and Telesystem-Mesko companies. The development agreement was inked with the Polish Ministry of Defense in 2010, emphasizing the long-standing cooperation between the parties involved.

Designed to operate in challenging conditions, the Piorun MANPADS boasts a capability to hit targets at ranges of up to 6.5 km and altitudes of up to 4 km. It can defend against a range of threats, including aircraft, helicopters, and UAVs.

The delivery of the first batch of Piorun missiles is part of Estonia's broader effort to bolster its military capabilities following the Ukrainian-Russian War. Among the recent acquisitions by the Estonian Army are armored vehicles manufactured by Turkish defense industry companies Otokar and Nurol Makina.

The Estonian Centre for Defence Investments (ECDI) and Polish defense company Mesko formalized a framework agreement in September 2022 for the acquisition of 100 Poirun launchers and 300 missiles at a total cost of €103 million ($113 million).