Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa
Piorun
A Polish man-portable infrared-homing surface-to-air missile developed from the earlier Grom, with improved seeker resistance to countermeasures and a larger warhead. Widely delivered to Ukraine since 2022, where it has been credited with numerous aircraft and helicopter kills.
In service since 2019 · 6 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗
7
km range
2.6
Mach
2
kg warhead
Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
National export licensing
Subject to Poland export-control approval; verify eligibility with the manufacturer.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Established · 6 operators
In service since 2019. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Competitive field
15 comparable systems from 7 other manufacturers
Counted in the WeaponSpecs database: missiles built by another manufacturer that share at least one published role with this system. A count of what this catalog holds, not a survey of the whole market. See the alternatives →
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 2.6 Mach |
|---|---|
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 7 km |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Warhead Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range. | 2 kg |
|---|---|
| Warhead type Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable. | Blast-fragmentation |
| Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire. | Infrared homing |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 1.6 m |
|---|---|
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 17 kg |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Solid-fuel rocket |
|---|
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 6 |
|---|
Specifications compiled from public Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Head-to-head comparisons
Piorun vs
Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa Piorun? +
The Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa Piorun has a maximum range of 7 km.
How much does the Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa Piorun weigh? +
The Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa Piorun has a combat weight of 17 kg.
What is the Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa Piorun used for? +
The Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa Piorun is a missile typically used for air defense.
How many countries operate the Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa Piorun? +
The Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa Piorun is operated by 6 countries.
How much does the Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa Piorun cost? +
Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa Piorun: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
Similar systems
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