Польшаның жеңіл әуе шабуылына қарсы қорғаныс жүйесі "Гром"

Polish man portable air defense system
the Polish SAM

The Grom (meaning "thunder" in Polish) is a man portable air defense system produced in Poland and based on the Soviet man portable infrared homing surface to air missile (SAM) 9K38 Igla. It consists of a 72 mm anti aircraft missile set with a flight speed of 650 m/s, as well as a single use launcher, re usable gripstock and thermal battery coolant assembly electric unit. The full name of the system is PZR Grom, PZR standing for Przeciwlotniczy Zestaw Rakietowy (literally anti air rocket propelled set). It is designed to target low flying helicopters and aeroplanes. As such, the Grom missile is used by other surface to air defence systems of Polish design, including ZSU 23 4MP Biała, ZUR 23 2 kg and Poprad self propelled artillery system. It should not be confused with versions of the Zvezda Kh 23 air to surface missile built under licence in Yugoslavia/Serbia as the Grom A and Grom B.

Initially at least since the 1970s the MESKO metal works in Skarżysko Kamienna mass produced license built Soviet Strela 2M (SA 7 Grail) surface to air missiles, designated in Poland as Strzała 2M. However, when these became outdated in the late 1980s the lead designers prepared the works to produce a more modern Soviet design, the 9K38 Igla (SA 18 Grouse). However, Poland left the Soviet bloc in 1990 and the license was declined, thus leaving Poland with no modern MANPADS at hand. Because of that, in late 1992 various Polish works and design bureaus (among them the Zielonka based Military Institute of Armament Technology, the WAT Military University of Technology and the Skarżysko Rocket Design Bureau) started working on a new Igla like design. These were allegedly helped by the Polish intelligence services able to buy the design plans of the original 9K38 Igla missile system in the LOMO works in Leningrad (modern St. Petersburg) during the turmoil following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. By 1995 the first batch (marked as GROM 1) entered service. It included a number of imported Russian components. By the late 1990s these were replaced with entirely Poland designed elements. On January 1, 2013, Bumar Amunicja manufactured their 2,000th Grom missile set. Grom was later improved into what became known as the Piorun, with a new seeker and rocket motor.

The system is designed to be operated by one soldier. It consists of a single stage projectile, a single use tubular launcher, a starting mechanism, and an on ground power supply. The rocket projectile uses solid propellant. The infrared aiming sensor is cooled with liquid nitrogen. There are options for identification friend or foe and thermovision.

The 'Grom' has been used by Polish Land Forces since 1995. According to press releases during the Russo Georgian War, Polish made GROM missiles targeted Russian planes and helicopters 20 times, 12 missiles were fired out of which 9 hit their targets, and most likely shot down a Su 25. However, there have been no reports of the deal being finalized.

In late 2008, the Russian press made claims that Russian Army personnel had discovered Polish GROM missiles in Chechnya. In response, the Polish press quickly reacted and accused Russia of fabricating evidence to falsely link Poland to the conflict. The Polish press claimed that the missiles had actually been moved by Russians from Georgia to Chechnya.

– 30 launchers and 100+ missiles, were used in Russo Georgian war. – In use as a part of Aster system. – 18 launchers bought in 2014, in 2023 another batch worth around $20 million was bought. – Around 400 launchers and 2000 missiles of Grom version, 400 missiles of Piorun version, 420 launchers and 1300 missiles of Piorun version on order.

– One launcher and five missiles, bought in 2010 for testing. – purchased 120 missiles.