Estonia receives Piorun MANPADS

The ECDI has delivered the Piorun to the EDF (photo of Lt Col Lelov holding the MANPADS). (ECDI/Kermo Pastarus)

The Estonian Centre for Defence Investments (ECDI) announced in a press release on 8 January that it had delivered Polish Piorun short-range manportable air defence systems (MANPADS) to the Estonian Defence Forces (EDF).

An ECDI spokesperson told Janes on 9 January that deliveries were ongoing from 2023 to 2025 but would not disclose numbers. He said training mainly for reservists had begun in mid-2023 as part of the planned deliveries. The full operational capability is planned for 2024, according to the spokesperson.

Estonian Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Tanel Lelov, head of the Estonian Division's air and missile defence section, said Piorun air-defence missiles would provide additional air defence for manoeuvre units on the front line as well as for important objects in rear areas.

The ECDI and Polish defence company Mesko signed a framework agreement for 100 Poirun launchers and 300 missiles in September 2022 for a total cost of EUR103 million (USD113 million).

The MANPADS has a range of 8 km and takes a few hours of training to operate, according to the ECDI.

It was introduced into Polish service in 2019 and is also used by Ukraine. “In Ukraine, these missiles have proven to be effective against most airborne attack means, and the principles of their use there will certainly be taken into account in training and employing Estonian units,” said Lt Col Lelov. Taras Czmut, head of Ukraine's largest ‘military' foundation, ‘Come Back Alive', said during a press briefing at the International Defence Industry Exhibition MSPO 2022 in Kielce that the Piorun was performing better than the US-supplied FIM-92 Stinger MANPADS.