France Reportedly Targets Polish Piorun MANPADS—70% for French Forces, Rest for Ukraine

France is preparing to buy Polish-made Piorun man-portable air defense systems for its own forces and to pass part of the order to Ukraine using EU-backed SAFE  defense loans, according to Defence Express on February 16. 

The outlet reported that Paris plans to finance the purchase through its about $19.2 billion SAFE loan allocation, with roughly 70% of the Piorun systems intended for the French armed forces and the remainder to be transferred to Ukraine as military aid. 

The report said the decision comes despite France producing its own Mistral systems, which Defence Express described as bulkier and less suited to being carried and operated by a single soldier.

Defence Express said Piorun can engage targets at ranges of about 400 meters to 6.5 km and at altitudes up to about 4 km, and cited an annual production rate of about 1,300 missiles. 

The outlet added that Ukraine has used Piorun in combat since 2022 and that the system has been credited with shooting down a range of aerial targets, while a Defence24 editor, Aleksander Olech, called Piorun “a global product” as Poland seeks to expand exports under SAFE-enabled joint procurement. 

Earlier, it was reported that 15 EU Member States plan joint arms procurement with Ukraine under SAFE loans.

EU nations are preparing to use parts of their SAFE defense-loan envelopes to procure defense equipment collaboratively with Ukraine, enabling Ukrainian participation in common procurement efforts under the bloc’s security financing framework.

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