Defence & Space

Thales to provide sonar suite for future Netherlands’ Orka-class submarines

Thales, a long-standing partner of both Naval Group and the Royal Netherlands Navy, will provide a comprehensive suite of high-performance sonar systems…

2025-03-20 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

Christening and Launch of Rybitwa – the Fifth Project 258 Minehunter for the Polish Navy

The christening and launch of the minehunter 258/5 took place yesterday, on March 19, 2025, at the Remontowa Shipbuilding shipyard…

2025-03-20 | Przemysław Gurgurewicz | 8 minutes

Run-flat inserts – an essential component of modern military wheeled vehicles

For many years, it has been observed that wheeled chassis purchased and operated by the armed forces require additional equipment to enable…

2025-03-07 | Radosław Niesobski | 4 minutes

When Trump Plays with Putin – Europe Must Arm Itself

Donald Trump makes it clear that Europe must defend itself and take care of its own security. It has taken…

2025-02-21 | Sławek Zagórski | 4 minutes

Christening and Launch of Rybitwa – the Fifth Project 258 Minehunter for the Polish Navy

The christening and launch of the minehunter 258/5 took place yesterday, on March 19, 2025, at the Remontowa Shipbuilding shipyard…

2025-03-20 | Przemysław Gurgurewicz | 8 minutes

Meeting at the Polish Ministry of National Defence with the Director of the French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA)

A meeting took place in Warsaw between Paweł Bejda, Secretary of State at the Polish Ministry of National Defence, and Emmanuel…

2025-03-19 | Redakcja | 2 minutes

Polish Ministry Of National Defense: Quantum key distribution is a breakthrough in the security of state entity communications

A presentation of research findings on the use of quantum key distribution in state communications was held at the Club of…

2025-03-17 | Redakcja | 8 minutes

Curtiss-Wright to support USMC’s Combat Data Network Program

Curtiss-Wright Receives $18 million follow-on order from U.S. Marine Corps to support Combat Data Network Program with Tactical Communications.

2025-03-08 | Redakcja | 2 minutes

Bambi Bucket Firefighting Baskets at Verticon 2025

During the Verticon 2025 air show in Dallas, the Canadian company SEI Industries showcased its Bambi Bucket firefighting baskets.

2025-03-17 | Rafał Muczyński | 3 minutes

Airbus Helicopters at Verticon 2025

During the Verticon 2025 aviation fair in Dallas, the European company Airbus Helicopters (a part of the Airbus Group) showcased its…

2025-03-17 | Rafał Muczyński | 6 minutes

Thales to provide sonar suite for future Netherlands’ Orka-class submarines

Thales, a long-standing partner of both Naval Group and the Royal Netherlands Navy, will provide a comprehensive suite of high-performance sonar systems…

2025-03-20 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

Christening and Launch of Rybitwa – the Fifth Project 258 Minehunter for the Polish Navy

The christening and launch of the minehunter 258/5 took place yesterday, on March 19, 2025, at the Remontowa Shipbuilding shipyard…

2025-03-20 | Przemysław Gurgurewicz | 8 minutes

FFS-class H135 helicopter simulator for the Polish Air Rescue Service

The Polish Air Rescue Service (LPR) has published information on the launch of a tender for the delivery and installation of…

2025-03-17 | Rafał Muczyński | 4 minutes

Leonardo at Verticon 2025 in Dallas

Italian group Leonardo has announced a series of agreements signed at Verticon 2025, the world’s largest event for the global vertical…

2025-03-13 | Redakcja | 20 minutes

Thales to provide sonar suite for future Netherlands’ Orka-class submarines

Thales, a long-standing partner of both Naval Group and the Royal Netherlands Navy, will provide a comprehensive suite of high-performance sonar systems…

2025-03-20 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

Christening and Launch of Rybitwa – the Fifth Project 258 Minehunter for the Polish Navy

The christening and launch of the minehunter 258/5 took place yesterday, on March 19, 2025, at the Remontowa Shipbuilding shipyard…

2025-03-20 | Przemysław Gurgurewicz | 8 minutes

Further Polish-Korean Talks at the Polish Ministry of National Defense

Deputy Minister of National Defense Paweł Bejda met in Warsaw with Hyunki Cho, Deputy Minister of the Defense Acquisition Program…

2025-03-07 | Redakcja | 2 minutes

France is considering deploying Rafale jets with nuclear weapons in Germany

As reported by The Telegraph, after a meeting between French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. President Donald Trump, the Élysée Palace is…

2025-02-26 | Rafał Muczyński | 5 minutes

Thales Alenia Space to develop the navigation system orbiting around the Moon

Thales Alenia Space has signed a contract with Telespazio to design and develop the space segment of the Navigation System and satellite…

2025-03-14 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

Cooperation Agreement between Radmor and WiRan

The Gdynia-based companies Radmor and WiRan have signed a cooperation agreement for the development of projects in the space industry. The…

2025-02-24 | Redakcja | 3 minutes
Shooting

Streamlight introduces the TLR-8 HL-X and TLR-8 HL-X sub

Streamlight introduces the TLR-8 HL-X flashlight with an integrated laser sight, producing a beam with up to 1,000 lumens of power, offering…

2025-03-18 | Michał Ihnatów | 3 minutes

Semi-automatic designated marksman rifle MSBS Grot .308 S20 for civilian shooters

Fabryka Broni Łucznik-Radom, a member of the Polish Armaments Group, has introduced the semi-automatic designated marksman rifle MSBS Grot .308 S20…

2025-03-11 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

Streamlight introduces the TLR-8 HL-X and TLR-8 HL-X sub

Streamlight introduces the TLR-8 HL-X flashlight with an integrated laser sight, producing a beam with up to 1,000 lumens of power, offering…

2025-03-18 | Michał Ihnatów | 3 minutes

IWA 2025: Leupold’s New Products

In a short video report from IWA OutdoorClassics 2025, a Leupold representative discusses the key new products for this year.

2025-03-10 | Michał Ihnatów | 1 minutes

Enforce Tac 2025: Source Tactical with Ballistic Protection for Women

At the Source Tactical booth, not only popular hydration systems were showcased, but also personal ballistic protection—including armor specifically designed…

2025-02-26 | Michał Ihnatów | 2 minutes

CuraheeGear introduces the TF-50 uniform set to its product lineup

CuraheeGear introduces the TF-50 uniform set, which includes pants designed specifically for the Commando Military Unit (Jednostka Wojskowa Komandosów) in…

2025-02-18 | Michał Ihnatów | 4 minutes

Enforce Tac 2025 starts on February 24th

Enforce Tac is an international trade fair aimed at law enforcement officers, experts from government agencies, and representatives of the…

2025-01-30 | Michał Ihnatów | 4 minutes

POLSECURE: Holsters HPE Poland offer for uniformed services

At the 3rd International Police and Public Security Fair POLSECURE 2024 in Kielce, Holsters HPE Poland presented its offer for…

2024-05-01 | Redakcja | 2 minutes

Semi-automatic designated marksman rifle MSBS Grot .308 S20 for civilian shooters

Fabryka Broni Łucznik-Radom, a member of the Polish Armaments Group, has introduced the semi-automatic designated marksman rifle MSBS Grot .308 S20…

2025-03-11 | Redakcja | 3 minutes

IWA 2025: WBP Rogów presents Piast rifle

The Wytwórnia Broni Jacek Popiński (WBP Rogów) is presenting a highly anticipated new product at the IWA OutdoorClassics 2025 trade fair…

2025-02-27 | Michał Ihnatów | 3 minutes

Setting Up a Shooting Belt: An Example with Clawgear

To assist with shooting training and beyond, various belts and gear configurations have been developed and customized to suit individual needs. It’s…

2024-11-28 | Łukasz Kołodziejski | 14 minutes

Weapon light: a practical tool for everyday service. How to choose?

In the world of armed forces, where every second can determine the outcome of an operation, precision and effectiveness are…

2024-08-29 | Redakcja | 7 minutes

Over 100% increase in gun permits in Poland in 2024

The Polish Police have released statistical data on firearm permits issued in 2024. An increasing number of Poles now hold…

2025-02-20 | Michał Ihnatów | 5 minutes

Firearms In Poland 2023: Number of permits continues to grow

The National Police Headquarters has released statistics regarding the number of firearm permits and firearms themselves in the hands of…

2024-02-17 | Michał Ihnatów | 5 minutes

5 Best Value ATN Rifle Scopes Under €1500

ATN is a leading manufacturer of daytime optics, smart night vision, and thermal vision technology. The innovative features and ergonomic designs…

2022-11-11 | Redakcja | 8 minutes

MILMAG Visits Grand Power

Grand Power is a Slovak manufacturer of the acknowledged good quality firearms. Take part in our guided tour with English subtitles.

2022-05-23 | Redakcja | 1 minutes

TEST: Direct Action Vanguard Uniform

The Vanguard is a uniform set from the Polish brand Direct Action, designed in collaboration with special forces soldiers. There are…

2025-01-19 | Michał Gaweł | 18 minutes

EOTECH Holographic Sight – History, Technology, Practice

The holographic sight is a device known for nearly 30 years and used by professionals around the world. A favorite sight of many…

2024-09-02 | Michał Gaweł | 12 minutes

EOTECH Holographic Sight – History, Technology, Practice

The holographic sight is a device known for nearly 30 years and used by professionals around the world. A favorite sight of many…

2024-09-02 | Michał Gaweł | 12 minutes

Norway: First Firings of the Piorun MANPADS

The Norwegian Armed Forces conducted the first firings using the Piorun man-portable air-defense systems ordered in November 2022, produced by Mesko, a company that is a part of the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ).

On Friday, August 16, 2024, the press service of the Norwegian Armed Forces (Forsvaret) announced the first firings conducted by the Jegerbataljonen rifle battalion of the Norwegian Army (Hæren) from the Høybuktmoen garrison in Sør-Varanger, Finnmark, using the Piorun man-portable air-defense systems, produced by Mesko, a part of the Polish Armaments Group. Representatives from the company also participated in the event.

Photos: Forsvaret

The firings were conducted by the newly formed air defense unit BLV (Med bærbart luftvern). Subsequently, several similar units armed with Piorun MANPADS will be established within other tactical formations of the Norwegian Army.

They will protect the Jegerbataljonen, allowing them to operate more freely, become even more effective, and pose an increasing threat to any enemy that seeks to attack Norway,” explains the head of the Finnmark Land Defense, Colonel Jørn Qviller. “We will gradually deploy the system within the Finnmark Land Defense and the Finnmark Brigade, and hopefully to other units in the Army as well over time,” he aded.

The Piorun is intended to form the first layer of a more complex air defense system that is currently being built in the Finnmark region.

“We are building a layered air defense system in Finnmark. The BLV covers the close range and is a ‘very short’ air defense system. Eventually, we will have a very long-range system, along with something in between. This will create the layered air defense for the Army and the Armed Forces that an enemy must take into account,” Qviller explains (editor’s note: likely referring to NASAMS and new NOMADS systems).

This week, the new BLV unit tested the new missile system with live missiles for the first time at the Porsangmoen and Halkavarre shooting and training ranges in central Finnmark.

For the enemy, this means they must take such a threat into account. They will have to fly higher, move to the flanks, or maybe not dare to fly at all. No one can be certain they have full freedom to fly helicopters and drones into Norwegian territory when a portable air defense system is present,” Qviller emphasizes.

On November 29, 2022, a contract was signed in Oslo under which Mesko was to deliver several hundred Piorun missiles and launch sets, together forming a man-portable air-defense system, to the Armed Forces of the Kingdom of Norway. On December 12, 2023, Mesko announced the beginning of deliveries of the systems to Norway.

Regarding the export of Piorun MANPADS, Mesko, in addition to Norway, delivered the first of the ordered systems to another new user, Estonia, at the turn of 2023 and 2024. In the coming years, the systems will also be delivered to Slovakia, one of the Balkan states, the aforementioned Latvia, and Georgia. Previously, a batch was purchased by the United States, and the weapons were sent to Ukraine defending from Russian invasion, as military aid from the Polish government.

On July 25 of this year, the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense announced a joint purchase of Piorun systems with Poland, Latvia, and Norway. The purchase has been submitted for partial funding under the European Defense Industry Reinforcement through Common Procurement Act (EDIRPA), through which Warsaw has submitted three PGZ products (including the Piorun system) and two products from the WB Group.

Photo Gallery:

Description

The Piorun MANPADS missile launchers are designed to engage low-flying aircraft such as planes, helicopters, and drones. In the Polish Armed Forces, they are used in the lowest layer of the air defense system at short ranges and low altitudes (VSHORAD).

The Piorun is a modernized version of the Grom MANPADS, which is also in service with the Polish Armed Forces. The modernization includes a modified launch mechanism, a new, more sensitive seeker head, and an electro-optical sight mounted on a special rail. These improvements have enhanced the system’s target acquisition capabilities, resistance to interference, and its effective range to 5500-6500 meters at altitudes from 10 to 4000 meters.

The changes also included the introduction of a proximity fuze (in addition to the existing impact fuze) and a directional warhead, which increases the effectiveness against small targets, such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Additionally, a user authorization system was implemented, along with the capability to engage targets at night.

Source: Forsvaret
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