France is seeking to acquire Polish-made Piorun man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) through the SAFE joint procurement framework, with the majority intended for the French Armed Forces and a portion earmarked for Ukraine.
France to Purchase Polish Piorun MANPADS
Paris intends to purchase the Piorun systems utilizing the SAFE program’s common procurement mechanism, becoming the latest major EU member state, following Germany, to express such intent. Unlike Berlin, France plans to leverage SAFE loan instruments, drawing from an allocated envelope of €16.2 billion.
Approximately 70 percent of the acquired Piorun systems will be deployed within the French Armed Forces, while the remaining 30 percent will be transferred to Ukraine as part of ongoing military aid. Ukrainian forces have successfully employed the Polish MANPADS since 2022, reportedly downing Russian aircraft, including Sukhoi Su-25 and Su-34 models, as well as Mil Mi-35M and Kamov Ka-52 helicopters. The systems have also proven effective against cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles.
We will certainly cooperate with France under the SAFE framework. As the largest beneficiary of the program, we will allocate part of the funding to procure French equipment. Here, however, we see the reverse situation: Paris procuring weapons from Warsaw. This is the direction we should pursue in the future: exporting as much Polish defense equipment as possible. Piorun is already a global product.
dr Aleksander Olech, Chief Editor, Defence24.com
The Piorun system is currently in service in Belgium, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Norway, Moldova, and the United States. The SAFE program is anticipated to further expand the system’s international adoption.
Developed by Mesko S.A., Telesystem-Mesko, and the Military University of Technology since 2010, the Piorun builds upon the experiences gained during the development of the Grom missile. It offers improved resistance to countermeasures and enhanced capabilities against targets with low thermal signatures. The system has a range of 400 meters to 6.5 kilometers and can engage targets at altitudes from 10 meters to 4 kilometers.
Written with: Jakub Palowski
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