Sweden has inked a deal with Polish defense manufacturer Mesko to procure Piorun man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems. Valued at approximately 3 billion kronor ($320 million), the deliveries are planned for 2027.
The agreement comes after months of negotiations following a letter of intent in March 2025 and a preliminary order placed in June. The Piorun will enhance Sweden’s very short-range air defense capabilities and contribute to the ongoing modernization of its armed forces.
Earlier in June, Stockholm also announced the acquisition of Germany’s IRIS-T SLM medium-range air defense system for 9 billion kronor ($930 million). Over the next ten years, Sweden aims to increase defense spending by roughly 300 billion kronor ($32 billion), raising its defense budget to 3.5 percent of GDP by 2030 from the current 2.4 percent.
Developed entirely in Poland, the Piorun undergoes continuous upgrades based on operational feedback. Equipped with a proximity fuze, it can neutralize targets passing nearby and is capable of engaging aircraft, helicopters, drones, and winged rockets. The launcher includes both a day sight and a thermal vision sight for night operations.
Weighing 19.5 kilograms (43 pounds), the system can target threats at ranges up to 6,500 meters (21,325 feet) and altitudes of 4,000 meters (13,123 feet). Sweden’s order follows previous acquisitions by the US, Belgium, Norway, and Estonia. The Piorun has been in service with the Polish armed forces since 2019 and was supplied in significant quantities to Ukraine in 2022.
