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Piorun [Thunderbolt]

Piorun (thunderbolt) is an infrared-guided missile designed to destroy low-flying aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles. It can hit targets flying at altitudes ranging from 10 metres to 4 kilometres. PIORUN MANPADS is designed for destroying aircraft, helicopters, UAVs and winged rockets. The missile has a fuse equipped with a proximity sensor, which allows for destroying the target in case of its close passing. The modernized launcher also features an additional day sight and a thermal vision sight, allowing the operator for efficient set usage also in night conditions. Missile set has a new starting mechanism, that allows among others selection of: pursuit-collision mode, target type, weather conditions, performs Friend or Foe inquiry, communicates with optical and thermal imaging sights, can be equipped with an authorization system.

In the seventies of the last century, the Polish People's Republic received a license for the production of the Soviet Strela-2M MANPADS. The production of such products was successfully established, with key components supplied from the USSR. In the late eighties, preparations began for the production of a newer Igla complex, but well-known events did not allow it to be completed.

Their history, which dates back to the older Grom man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems. The idea and the need for them were born after the collapse of the USSR and after the domestic production of post-Soviet Igla-1 systems was irretrievably stopped. These PPZR were to increase the anti-aircraft capabilities of Polish soldiers, guaranteeing better shells in virtually every detail. When the plans were ruined and the number of purchased sets was insufficient, the Polish defense industry faced a challenge.

This is why, in the early 90s of the last century, work on a completely Polish PPZR was started, and the Mesko company, which had a lot to do with this type of armament, was responsible for it. Not without reason, because it was she who was responsible for the production of the post-Soviet Strzal-2M in the 1970s and was supposed to introduce the Igla-1 sets to the production lines, which is why she used the experience gained over several years while working on something completely new class.

The work on the Polish PPZR did not last too long, because it was completed at the end of 1992, after the involvement of several national research and development institutions. These jointly worked on the program Modern technologies of the Grom anti-aircraft defense system , which was finally converted into the first version of the Przeciwlotniczy zastew rakietowy GROM-1 sets, produced in ZM Mesko since 1995.

It was definitely far from ideal, but already in 1996 PPZR GROM-1 was used by the army. However, it was not a fully Polish creation, because it used, for example, a modified guidance system from a post-Soviet set, so until the beginning of the 21st century, engineers worked on making the GROMs truly Polish military equipment. Initially, the modernization project had the designation Grom-M, and then it was renamed PPZR Piorun. Fortunately, this was successful, because in 2000 the company Telesystem-Mesko started the production of new Grom homing warheads, which after 2 years went to the Polish Army. And only in 2010, the company Meska SA started developing a modernized version of the complex called "Grom-2".

Serial production of the new PPZR Piorun and the rearmament of the army were under threat. However, Meska and related companies found the causes of the accidents and managed to eliminate them. In 2019, the complex successfully passed all the required tests and was recommended for the series and for adoption. By the beginning of 2020, the manufacturing company managed to transfer the first batch of launchers and TPKs with missiles to the army.

GROM-M/PIORUN - is a modernization of PPZR GROM, carried out in 2010÷2015. As part of the modernization, the efficiency of the homing head was improved by increasing the detection sensitivity, which increased the target detection range, increased resistance to interference, increased firing range, a proximity fuse, an access authorization system were used and the set was adapted to operate in night conditions.

The design of Perun was completed in 2015-16. Already in December 2016, without waiting for testing and refinement, the Polish Ministry of Defense issued Meska a large order for the mass production of new weapons. Under the terms of the agreement, in 2017-20. the contractor was to supply 420 launchers with sights and 1,300 missiles to the TPK.

The first tests of the new MANPADS took place in the fall of 2017 and immediately ran into problems. Polish-made solid-propellant engines were not of high quality and reliability, which is why an experimental rocket exploded during one of the launches. With the same results, the next two stages of testing were completed in the spring and summer of 2018.

Compared to Grom, PPZR, Piorun gained e.g. proximity fuse, which allows you to shoot down even small drones more effectively. The upgraded weapon is also more resistant to interference and has a better sight, which doubles the possibility of detecting an enemy target. The new rocket, like the Grom, automatically guides itself to the source of thermal radiation, but thanks to the use of new detectors, e.g. Thanks to a unique cooled photodiode with four times the sensitivity of lightning bolts, Piorun detects the enemy from a much greater distance. In addition, a complex, electronic system is able to actively guide the Pioruns to the target at a distance of over 6 kilometers (the range of American stingers is 4.8 km).

The PPZR Piorun set differs from its predecessor in a modified starting mechanism and a sight that increases the possibility of detecting an approaching target. In the construction of the new launcher, a rail has been placed, thanks to which we can apply sighting devices that allow the operator to increase the ability to detect the target. In addition, a novelty in the starting mechanism is the chase/encounter switch, a cassette with batteries powering the starting mechanism and an authorization system that protects against the use of the set by unauthorized persons. The difference between the ground power block used in PPZR Piorun and PPZR Grom is the use of argon as a cooling agent for the homing head detector. Nitrogen is used as a coolant in the Grom. Other elements of the NBZ have not changed.

One of the modernization assumptions was to obtain a greater detection range. In order to do this, it was necessary to develop a homing head stabilized with a laser gyroscope practically from scratch, make it reprogrammable and use modern detection systems with significantly greater sensitivity, optimize the parameters of preamplifiers and develop digital algorithms for the starting mechanism. Modifications of the homing head also made it possible to increase the resistance to interference. In this regard, it was necessary to optimize the detection bands of the coordinator, increase the dynamics of the signal processing systems and use new spectral ranges and kinematic selection.

Piorun's rocket, like Grom, automatically guides itself to the source of thermal radiation, i.e. the heat-emitting engine of a helicopter or plane. Thanks to the use of new detectors, e.g. Thanks to a unique cooled photodiode with four times greater sensitivity than before, the missile detects the means of an air attack from a much greater distance. Publicly available information shows that increasing the range and improving the maneuverability of the rocket was achieved thanks to the use of a modified propulsion engine, the fuel of which is more energetic than in PPZR Grom, and thus - it is characterized by a greater total impulse. The starting engine was also upgraded. Publicly available information shows that increasing the range and improving the maneuverability of the rocket was achieved thanks to the use of a modified propulsion engine, the fuel of which is more energetic than in PPZR Grom, and thus - it is characterized by a greater total impulse. The starting engine was also upgraded.

Publicly available information shows that increasing the range and improving the maneuverability of the rocket was achieved thanks to the use of a modified propulsion engine, the fuel of which is more energetic than in PPZR Grom, and thus - it is characterized by a greater total impulse. The starting engine was also upgraded.

In the Polish Armed Forces, they are used in the lowest layer of the air defense system at close ranges and low altitudes (VSHORAD). PIORUN is a modernized version of the GROM ppzr, which is also in service with the Polish Army. As part of the modernization, a modified starting mechanism, a new homing head with greater sensitivity and an optoelectronic sight mounted on a special rail were used. Thanks to this, the ability to track the target, immunity to interference and firing range have been increased.

The new Piorun missile, unlike the Grom, has a sophisticated laser proximity fuse that allows to program the place of the explosion and hit objects within the range of the launched rocket with shrapnel. New algorithms used in the programming of the head almost double the resistance of the guidance system to interference (the missile "is able" to distinguish the thermal traps used to protect aircraft from the real target, i.e. the engine). use in night conditions, programming the operating mode or reading the indications of the "own-foreign" identification system (IFF).

In December 2016 the Polish Ministry of Defence signed a contract, concerning the delivery of 420 launch systems and 1300 missiles for the Polish Armed Forces, with the delivery deadline set in 2022. The Piorun missiles may be launched with the use of portable launch systems, or Pilica SAM systems operated by the Air Force, in a role of land-based air defence assets. Piorun may also be launched from the Poprad VSHORAD system, operated by all of the Army divisions.

The Ministry of National Defence will increase its orders of the man-portable surface-to-air Piorun missiles, produced by the Polish company Mesko, after the weapon proved its effectiveness in the Russia-Ukraine war.The news was announced by Mariusz Blaszczak, the defence minister, on 30 March 2022. "We're consistently increasing the anti-aircraft capabilities of the Polish Armed Forces," Blaszczak tweeted. "The current order for the Piorun missile systems will be increased and supplies will be executed subsequently in the coming years."

In 2018, the SPZR Poprad self-propelled air defense system was adopted by the Polish army. It is built on the basis of a two-axle armored car AMZ Zubr-P and is equipped with a launcher with a single control unit and mounts for four TPK from MANPADS; four more are stored inside the case. Initially, Poprad was intended to use Grom missiles, and in 2020 they completed the integration of the new Piorun.

Until 2021-22 industry must transfer 79 self-propelled air defense systems to the army, and some of them will be able to use two types of missiles. In terms of combat capabilities, the SPZR Poprad replaces several anti-aircraft gunners with MANPADS on an armored personnel carrier, and also has a number of other characteristic advantages.

At the end of 2020, the Polish army received the first PSR-A Pilica towed missile and gun mount. In fact, this is a deeply modernized ZU-23-2 with new fire control devices and a launcher for two MANPADS missiles. The installation is initially compatible with the missiles "Grom" and "Perun". Current orders provide for the production of only a few rocket and gun mounts, and further prospects for the project are unknown.

Polish industry managed to create a modern MANPADS with sufficiently high performance, which is necessary for the army. In addition, such a complex is completely produced at its own enterprises, and its production does not depend on imports from unfriendly countries. Finally, during the creation of this project, Meska and other enterprises gained experience that can be used in the development of new MANPADS and other guided weapons. However, from a technical point of view, the Piorun project is not breakthrough or outstanding. We are talking only about the next deep modernization of the complex, created abroad several decades ago.