At BEDEX 2026 (Brussels European Defence Exhibition), held March 12–14 in Brussels, Mesko, based in Skarżysko-Kamienna and part of the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ), presented its flagship products and solutions as part of a broader exhibition.
Photos: Jakub Link-Lenczowski, MILMAG
Piorun MANPADS
At an exhibition promoting Polish technological solutions to Western European markets, the combat-proven Piorun man-portable air defense system (MANPADS) could not be absent. The missile system gained international recognition in the context of the war in Ukraine. Real battlefield conditions positively verified the system’s key attributes – effectiveness, reliability, high build quality, and operational safety (the 3,000th Piorun MANPADS produced by Mesko).
Today, Piorun strengthens the defensive capabilities not only of the Polish Armed Forces, but also of countries such as the United States, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Belgium, and Sweden. Slovakia is also expected to sign a purchase agreement soon. According to media reports, Piorun will become part of the Israeli SPYDER air defense system, ordered by Romania in July last year. Armed forces from around the world have also expressed interest in Mesko’s MANPADS, including France, Germany, and a Balkan country, while the system has also been presented in Thailand.
The Piorun MANPADS is designed to engage low-flying aerial targets, such as aircraft, helicopters, and drones. Within the Polish Armed Forces, it is used in the lowest layer of the air defense system, providing protection at short ranges and low altitudes (VSHORAD).
Piorun is a modernized version of the Grom MANPADS, which is also in service with the Polish military. The modernization introduced a modified launch mechanism, a new seeker head with increased sensitivity, and an optoelectronic sight mounted on a dedicated rail. These improvements enhanced target acquisition capabilities, resistance to jamming, and engagement range, which now reaches 5,500–6,500 meters, at altitudes from 10 to 4,000 meters.
The upgrades also included the introduction of a proximity fuze (in addition to the existing impact fuze) and a directional warhead, increasing effectiveness against small targets such as unmanned aerial vehicles. Additionally, a user authorization system was introduced, along with the ability to conduct operations in night conditions.
Jack-S
The Jack-S light anti-tank system is a development of the Pirat anti-tank missile, based on the requirements of international customers. The system made its Polish debut in March 2024, followed by its international premiere three months later at Eurosatory 2024.
The system is designed to engage stationary and moving targets (with a maximum speed of up to 50 km/h, regardless of direction), including low-flying targets in hover, at distances ranging from 200 to 2,600 meters.
The system weighs 15.5 kg (including the launch canister), and the HEAT (High-Explosive Anti-Tank) shaped-charge warhead offers penetration equivalent to 500 mm of rolled homogeneous armor (RHA). The container holding the 107 mm missile is 1,215 mm long. The system can operate in temperatures ranging from –35°C to +50°C.
The manufacturer has not ruled out the possibility of integrating the system on vehicles, including armored personnel carriers, infantry fighting vehicles, light reconnaissance vehicles, boats, and autonomous vehicles (robots). A distinctive feature of Jack-S is its optical sighting system with automatic target tracking, guiding the missile toward a target illuminated by a laser beam. Compared with Pirat, the new system also incorporates a new concept for fuze activation.
NLPR-70
The 70 mm NLPR-70 unguided rocket is designed to engage a wide range of surface and ground targets, including ships, lightly armored vehicles, and infrastructure. The rocket is equipped with a High-Explosive Incendiary Semi-Armor Piercing (HEISAP) warhead weighing 6.015 kg. The total weight of the rocket is 11.6 kg, with a length of 1,360 mm, a maximum speed of 650 m/s, and an effective range exceeding 2,000 m.
It is also worth noting that at MSPO 2025, Mesko submitted the WW-15 launcher with NLPR-70 rockets for the DEFENDER award, and three years earlier the Air Force Institute of Technology presented a mock-up of a triple NLPR-70 launcher for helicopters, alongside the Piorun Airborne Missile System.
🇧🇪 #Bruksela | Grupa @PGZ_pl melduje się na targach #BEDEX2026! 🫡
🤝 Są z nami: @PGZ_MESKO_SA, @PITRADWAR_PGZ, Fabryka Broni "Łucznik" – Radom sp. z o.o., Bydgoskie Zakłady Elektromechaniczne BELMA S.A., MASKPOL, ZPS GAMRAT, Wojskowe Zakłady Elektroniczne S.A., Zakłady… pic.twitter.com/crXiOwzy2X
— Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa🇵🇱 (@PGZ_pl) March 12, 2026