Kongsberg and Mesko expand cooperation around the Piorun system
During the Defence24 Days conference in Warsaw, Norwegian Kongsberg and Polish Mesko announced a strategic partnership focused on integrating the Piorun missile system with the Protector RS6 and RS4 remote weapon stations. The information was later published on Kongsberg’s website.
The cooperation will focus on developing a European solution designed to counter both ground and aerial threats. The project involves integrating the Piorun man-portable air-defence system (MANPADS) with Protector RWS platforms, which can be mounted on both manned and unmanned vehicles. According to Kongsberg, the system is intended to provide greater operational flexibility and enable rapid responses to modern battlefield threats.
As highlighted by Kongsberg in the statement, cooperation between the two companies has been ongoing since 2023. A year later, during a Kongsberg user conference in Norway, the companies presented a demonstrator integrating two Piorun launchers with a Protector RS6 turret mounted on a Mowag Piranha 8x8 vehicle.
“The strength and popularity of the Piorun MANPADS is its effectiveness and simplicity of use,” said Marcin Ożóg, a board member of Mesko. “Collaboration with Kongsberg creates opportunities to broaden the scope of Piorun systems' capabilities, which will certainly be an additional advantage for armies interested in acquiring this or similar weapon systems.”
The newly announced partnership also fits into broader efforts aimed at expanding exports of the Piorun system. As previously reported by Evertiq, Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa aims to increase the presence of the Polish air-defence system within NATO and European Union structures. Germany and France have reportedly shown interest in the solution, while the system is already in service in several European countries, including Norway, Sweden, Latvia, Estonia, Belgium, and Ukraine.
The Piorun systems are manufactured by Polish company Mesko, which has operated within the PGZ group since 2015. The company has previously declared its readiness to further increase production capacity in response to growing demand. According to earlier company statements, production capacity has quadrupled since 2020 and currently stands at around 1,200 missiles annually. Mesko is also working on a next-generation missile — Piorun 2 — expected to offer higher speed, improved resistance to interference, and a new control system designed to enhance manoeuvrability.
“We are pleased to cooperate with Mesko on further strengthening European defence capabilities. The integration of the Piorun system with Protector RWS will create new opportunities for both existing and future users of our systems,” said Eirik Lie, President of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, quoted in the statement.
Protector systems are used by the armed forces of multiple NATO countries and can integrate a wide range of weapon systems — from machine guns and grenade launchers to anti-tank guided missiles and short-range air-defence solutions.
