Can These Polish Weapons Change the War for Ukraine?

Ukraine is preparing to add another deadly tool to its arsenal: the Piorun (Lightning in Polish) MANPAD, a shoulder-launched Polish air defense system that’s rewriting the rules of low-altitude warfare.

In this video, I unpack what makes the Piorun so dangerous to Russian aircraft and drones.

Also, I shaved. It was a horrible mistake...

We’ll cover:
• How it works: The Piorun uses an advanced infrared seeker head with improved sensitivity and counter-countermeasure capabilities. That means it can lock onto heat signatures even when an aircraft is trying to spoof it with flares.
• Its origins: Born out of Poland’s GROM program in the 1990s, the Piorun is an evolution: faster missile, longer range, better electronics, specifically designed with Russian aircraft in mind.
• Battlefield performance: The Piorun has already been used by Ukrainian forces with impressive hit rates against Russian helicopters and drones, earning a reputation as one of the most reliable man-portable air defense systems in Europe.
• Why Ukraine wants more: MANPADS like the Piorun give small infantry units the ability to punch far above their weight, denying Russian pilots the ability to operate safely at low or medium altitudes.

This is about strategy. By combining systems like the Piorun with Western-supplied Patriots, IRIS-Ts, and NASAMS, Ukraine is building a layered air defense shield that forces Russia to either fly higher (and waste more expensive munitions) or risk losing aircraft at lower altitudes.

I’ll also dive into the cost calculus. For a fraction of the price of a Russian attack helicopter or fighter jet, a single Piorun can send it spiraling into the dirt. That kind of asymmetry is exactly what Ukraine needs right now.

Finally, I’ll share my own take: Are MANPADS still the best bang-for-buck defense in an age of drones, loitering munitions, and hypersonic missiles, or is Ukraine about to outgrow them?

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Video Sources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1y...

tldr: Ukraine is seeking a loan from Poland to acquire advanced military equipment. Among the requested items are the Piorun man-portable air defense system and the Krab self-propelled howitzer. These systems have already demonstrated their effectiveness in the war in Ukraine, making this military aid crucial.

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