The Polish-made Piorun man-portable air-defense systems (commonly referred to as “Polish Stingers”) have been identified by the Norwegian Armed Forces as a key component in countering threats from the Russian Federation. Following successful tests, Norway’s military confirmed that they conducted their first live-fire exercises using these systems in the northern Finnmark region, close to the Russian border.
According to the statement released by the Norwegian military on social media, the exercises targeted aerial threats such as drones and helicopters and were deliberately conducted in Finnmark, which shares a land border with Russia. The strategic choice of this location is believed to send a clear signal of deterrence to Russia. Just a short distance across the border lies Murmansk, home to Russia’s Northern Fleet and special forces units that specialize in covert operations.
Finnmark also hosts critical infrastructure, including the Hammerfest LNG terminal owned by Equinor, making it a high-priority region for Norwegian defense efforts.
Norway’s purchase of these Piorun systems, produced by Mesko — a subsidiary of the Polish Armaments Group — was first announced in early 2024. In January, the Norwegian military confirmed that ground forces stationed near the Russian border had received the Polish systems.
This acquisition decision, made in late 2022, was influenced by the Piorun’s proven performance in Ukraine, where it played a crucial role in downing numerous Russian aircraft, particularly helicopters, as documented in widely shared videos.
While details of the Norwegian-Polish agreement have not been fully disclosed, the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) stated that the contract is valued at around 350 million NOK (€37 million) and includes “several hundred” missiles along with an undisclosed number of launchers.
