Estonian Defense Forces

Estonian Defense Forces Eesti Kaitsevägi
guide
Commander in Chief :	President Kersti Kaljulaid
Defense Minister:	Jüri Luik
Military Commander:	Child Major Martin Herem
Military leadership:	General Staff
Headquarters:	Tallinn
Military strength
Active soldiers:	6,000
Conscription:	8 months, for selected high school students 11 months
Resilient population:	275,000 aged 15-49 (as of 2008)
Eligibility for military service:	16 years of age
Share of soldiers in the total population:	0.28%
household
Military budget:	€ 528 million (2018)
Share of gross domestic product :	2.11% (2018)
history
Founding:	1918
Factual foundation:	3rd September 1991
Highest budget:	€ 528 million (2018)

The Estonian Armed Forces ( Estonian Eesti Kaitsejõud ) are formed by the Defense Union ( Kaitseliit ) and the Estonian Defense Forces ( Eesti Kaitsevägi ). The defense forces - the regular military - represent the Republic of Estonia , which has the armed forces of the army , air force and navy . There is also close cooperation with the Estonian border guards .

Estonia is a member of NATO and is involved in several UN missions. There is also cooperation with the Baltic neighbors in various areas . So operate z. B. the air forces of the three countries jointly the air surveillance system Baltic Air Surveillance Network .

history

1918 to 1940

Estonia gained independence on February 24, 1918 during the collapse of the Russian Empire (after the October Revolution ). After that took place between 11 and 14 November 1918 November Revolution , which heralded the end of the German occupation of Estonia, the German coordinators gave political power to the government of Estonia. A few days later a military invasion by Bolshevik Russia followed , which marked the beginning of the Estonian War of Freedom . The small, poorly equipped Estonian military, also known as Rahvavägi , was initially pushed back into the area around the Estonian capital Tallinn by the Red Army . Only 34 kilometers separated Tallinn and the front line. Due to the timely arrival of a British naval squadron with a shipload of weapons, the advance of the Bolsheviks was stopped.

In January 1919, the Estonian Armed Forces launched a counter-offensive, the May Offensive, under Commander-in-Chief Johan Laidoner . The ground forces were supported by both the Royal Navy and Finnish, Swedish and Danish volunteers. By the end of February 1919, the Red Army had been driven from Estonian territory. On February 2, 1920, the Republic of Estonia and the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic concluded the Peace of Dorpat . After the victory in the Estonian War of Freedom over Soviet Russia and German volunteers of the Baltic Freikorps , Estonia maintained its independence for 22 years.

The fate of the Republic of Estonia before World War II was decided by the German-Soviet non-aggression pact in August 1939, in which, according to the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact and its secret additional protocol, Stalin obtained Hitler's consent to the division of Eastern Europe into spheres of interest . The Estonian government was then forced to agree to the establishment of Soviet military bases and the stationing of 25,000 Soviet soldiers on Estonian soil for "common defense". On June 12, 1940 the order to establish a military blockade around Estonia was given to the Baltic Fleet . Due to overwhelming Soviet power and to avoid bloodshed and war, the Estonian government decided on June 17th not to offer any resistance. The military occupation of Estonia was completed on June 21, 1940. The Estonian armed forces were disarmed by the Red Army in July 1940 according to Soviet orders. Only the Telecommunications Battalion in Tallinn offered resistance. When the Red Army brought in additional reinforcements, supported by six armored vehicles, the fight lasted several hours until sunset. There was one dead and some wounded on the Estonian side and over ten killed and several injured on the Soviet side. The military resistance ended after negotiations, the telecommunications battalion capitulated and was disarmed.

Under massive pressure and threats of violence from the Soviet Union, Estonia, along with Latvia and Lithuania, were annexed by the latter in 1940. According to the official Soviet interpretation, it was an accession to the Soviet Union. The Estonian forces became part of the Red Army and even kept their uniform and most of the officers (including the Commander-in-Chief). In the course of the war, Estonian associations were also used on the German side.

See also : 20th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (Estonian No. 1)

Since 1991

In 1991, Estonia regained its independence as a democratic state. The Eesti Kaitsevägi were re-established on September 3, 1991 by the Council of Elders of the Republic of Estonia. Since then, the Estonian armed forces have put more than 30 units and some branches of the military back into service. Estonia introduced compulsory military service in 1992.

In addition to the general problems of reconstruction, the Estonian armed forces, like their Baltic neighbors, faced another challenge. While the country was oriented towards Western Europe and North America, few military personnel were available who had gained experience there. Estonia met this challenge by training officers and non-commissioned officers in western countries and at newly established facilities at home. In addition, the country has participated in the NATO Partnership for Peace program since 1994 and has been a NATO member itself since 2004, so that the military personnel have received practical training. The new generation of officers rose to leadership positions early on, which means that Estonia has had a relatively young high command since the beginning of the 21st century.

Armed Forces Commander

The military commanders of the Estonian Armed Forces since its inception have been:

No.	Rank and name	Start of service	Service end
Estonian War of Independence and 1st Independence (1918–1940)
1	Lieutenant General Johan Laidoner	December 23, 1918	March 26, 1920
(1)	Lieutenant General Johan Laidoner	December 1, 1924	January 8, 1925
(1)	General Johan Laidoner	March 12, 1934	June 22, 1940
Government Deep (1944)
2	Major General Jaan Maide	September 18, 1944	October 24, 1944
2. Independence (since 1993)
3	General Aleksander Einseln	May 1, 1993	4th December 1995
4th	Lieutenant General Johannes Kert	January 23, 1996	June 30, 2000
-	Lieutenant Colonel Aarne Ermus (acting)	June 30, 2000	September 21, 2000
5	Vice Admiral Tarmo Kõuts	September 21, 2000	2006
6th	General Ants Laaneots	December 5, 2006	5th December 2011
7th	General Riho Terras	5th December 2011	4th December 2018
8th	Major General Martin Herem	since December 5, 2018

tasks

Military spending 1992 to 2018

The main objective of the armed forces is to develop and maintain a reliable ability to defend vital national interests in a manner that ensures interoperability with the armed forces of NATO and EU member states and their ability to participate in Alliance missions.

In peacetime , the main tasks of the Estonian armed forces are to monitor and maintain control of state borders and airspace, maintain combat readiness, train conscripts and form reserve units, and participate in international operations led by NATO and the UN and assistance to civil authorities in the event of a national emergency.

In times of crisis , the main tasks of the Estonian military are to increase the level of readiness of the units as needed, prepare for the transition to the structure at war, start mobilization, integrate units from other ministries and prepare for support and reception from allied forces .

In a state of war , the main tasks of the armed forces are to defend the territorial integrity of the state, to support the arrival and deployment of forces from other countries and to cooperate with them, to maintain control of the national airspace and to provide air defense in the case of military installations To enable forces from other countries.

structure

National Defense Leadership

Estonia's national defense is based on the principles of civil control and is inherently linked to the democratic organization of the state. Democratically elected and appointed executive bodies make decisions about the deployment of the armed forces and define the respective goals, allocate the necessary resources and monitor the achievement of the goals.

The implementation of the principles of civil control is through the defense-related rights, duties and responsibilities, which legislatively rests on the Parliament, the President of the Republic and the Government of the Republic. The supreme leader of national defense is the President of the Republic, who is advised on questions of national defense by the national defense council. The national defense council consists of the chairman of parliament, the prime minister, the commander in chief of the armed forces (the commander in chief in a state of war), the defense minister, the interior minister, the foreign minister and the chairman of the parliamentary committee on national defense, the executive in the leadership of national defense is carried out by the government of the republic.

headquarters

In peacetime, the Estonian Defense Forces and national defense organizations, including the Kaitseliit , are led by the Defense Forces Commander. In a state of war, all of these components are commanded by the Commander in Chief of the Defense Forces. The commander and the commander in chief are appointed and dismissed from office by the Parliament of Estonia ( Riigikogu ) on the proposal of the President of the Republic of Estonia. The regular term of office is five years and can be extended to up to seven years. Since December 5, 2018, Kindral Major Martin Herem has been the commandant of the Defense Forces.

The General Staff ( Kaitseväe Peastaap ) is the headquarters of the Estonian military and the working part of the High Command ( Kaitseväe Juhataja ). It is a joint staff of all branches of the armed forces, which is concerned with operational management, training and further development of the armed forces. Operational management is carried out by the operational staff, who plan and control operations and ensure defense readiness and mobilization. The training and development departments are responsible for long-term and interim planning, resource planning, organization and control of the planning of training and implementation of national defense activities. The General Staff of the Estonian Armed Forces is headed by the Chief of Staff at the Defense Forces Headquarters. Brigaadikindral Veiko-Vello Palm has held this post since December 5, 2018 .

Operational and administrative units and facilities

• General Staff - Kaitseväe Peastaap ( Tallinn )
• Support Command - Toetuse Väejuhatus ( Pärnu )
  • Logistics Battalion - Logistikapataljon
  • Health Center - Tervisekeskus
  • Orchestra - Kaitseväe orkester
• Cyber ​​Command - Küberväejuhatus
  • Staff and Telecommunications Battalion - Staabi- ja sidepataljon
• Military Police - Sõjaväepolitseiteenistus
  • Guard Battalion - Vahipataljon (Tallinn)
• Estonian contingent at the cooperative NATO Cyber ​​Defense Center of Excellence - Küberkaitsekoostöö Keskuse Eesti contingent
• Estonian National Defense Academy - Kaitseväe Ühendatud Õppeasutused ( Tartu )
  • Higher Military School - Kõrgem Sõjakool
  • Defense Battle School - Kaitseväe Lahingukool ( Võru )
• Military Intelligence Service - Luurekeskus
• Main Inspection Service - Peainspektoriteenistus
• Medical Service - Meditsiiniteenistus
• Special Operations Command - Erioperatsioonid

Then there are the units of the three armed forces (army, navy and air force) and units of the reservists.

organization

The armed forces consist of regular military units with a total of 3800 soldiers and officers as well as a volunteer association, the Kaitseliit, with around 11,000 soldiers. The current size of the operational structure in a state of war is 16,000 soldiers.

The Defense Forces are a reserve army, so all physically and mentally healthy male nationals are required to undergo general military service for a period of between 8 and 11 months, during which the conscripts are taught the basic skills for mobilization into active service. For a state with few human and economic resources, a reserve based on the will of the citizens' defense is the only viable form of national defense.

In peacetime the reservists lead a normal life and the state takes care of their military training and the procurement of equipment and weapons. In times of war the reservists are mobilized and assigned to units. The reserve units are formed according to the territorial principle, which means that conscripts from one area are called to the same unit and after their service they are assigned to the reserve as one unit. The Estonian army is therefore always in constant readiness for defense in cooperation with the other branches of the armed forces.

The armed forces of Estonia are structured as follows:

• Estonian Armed Forces - Eesti Kaitsejõud
  • Estonian Defense Forces - Eesti kaitsevägi
    • Estonian Army - Eesti Maavägi
    • Estonian Navy - Eesti Merevägi
    • Estonian Air Force - Eesti Õhuvägi
  • Estonian Defense Federation - Kaitseliit

Together with the Estonian Defense Federation ( Kaitseliit ) and the Estonian Ministry of the Interior ( Siseministeerium ), they form the Eesti Kaitsejõud , the armed forces of Estonia, in the event of war . The commander-in-chief of the armed forces is the President of Estonia, the defense forces are subordinate to the Ministry of Defense and are led by the general staff, the Kaitseväe Peastaap .

army

Main article: Maavägi

Estonian soldiers during a training session in the USA

Estonian reservists during an artillery exercise

The average size of the army in peacetime is around 3,300 soldiers, 1,500 of whom are conscripts. The operational component of the army structure consists of two infantry brigades.

The army's expansion priorities are to take part in missions outside the national territory and to carry out operations to protect the territory of Estonia - also in cooperation with the Allies.

vehicle	origin	Type
Combat Vehicle 90	Netherlands Norway	Armored personnel carriers
Sisu Pasi	Finland Netherlands	Armored transport
mamba	South Africa	Armored vehicle
Bandvagn	Sweden	Off-road vehicle
MB Unimog	Germany	truck
MAN	Germany	truck
Mercedes Benz	Germany	Off-road vehicle
Volvo	Sweden	Off-road vehicle
Husqvarna	Sweden	motorcycle

marine

Main article: Merevägi

Admiral Pitka visits Helsinki

The Merevägi is responsible for all naval operations and the protection of state waters of Estonia. The main tasks of the Navy are the preparation and organization of the defense of the state waters and coastlines, the guarantee of safety at sea and in communication and shipping traffic in the territorial waters and the cooperation with NATO and the navies of other friendly countries. In the event of a crisis situation, the Merevägi must be ready to defend sea access routes, port areas and maritime traffic routes and to cooperate with allied units. The regular tasks of the Merevägi include ensuring the safety of sea traffic and clearing mine blocks. The majority of the naval forces are stationed at the Miinisadam naval base in Tallinn. The current structure provides for a mine defense division and a mine diving division . There is also the Naval Academy at Miinisadam Naval Base and the Fleet Headquarters, which is also located in Tallinn.

Since 1995, numerous mine clearance operations have been carried out in Estonian waters in close cooperation with other navies in the Baltic Sea region in order to find and remove explosive devices and thus contribute to safe seafaring. In 2007 the mineship fleet was modernized and equipped with Sandown-class minesweepers. In 2010, according to the long-term defense development plan, it was announced that the Merevägi will receive some new resources. The focus will be on the procurement of multi-purpose speedboats. The operational need for such ships is to ensure the defense of state waters and improve maritime surveillance. In addition to the current possibilities, command communication and coast-to-ship communication will be further improved.

Name & ( ship ID )	Ship type	Ship class
Admiral Cowan (M313)	Mine hunting boat	Sandown class
Sakala (M314)	Mine hunting boat	Sandown class
Ugandi (M315)	Mine hunting boat	Sandown class
Wambola (A433)	Auxiliary ship	Lindormen class

air force

Main article: Õhuvägi

Estonian Aero L-39 at the Royal International Air Tattoo

The Eesti Õhuvägi were reorganized on April 13, 1994. They are an important part of Estonian aviation as they played and play an important role in improving flight safety in Estonian airspace. One of the main goals of the Air Force is the development and expansion of the air surveillance system, which is the cornerstone of air traffic safety and airspace security. The system should also have a level that enables close cooperation with the NATO air defense system. Originally, the task of the air force consisted of ground-based air surveillance and air defense with old Soviet radar and anti-aircraft equipment. After moving to the former Soviet SU-24 base near Ämari on May 15, 1997, other tasks could be gradually taken on.

Since 1994 the Õhuvägi has been busy rebuilding the destroyed military infrastructure that was left behind by the Russian army. Most of the funds were invested in the Ämari military airfield, which has been fully operational since the first half of the 2010s. With this new air base, the cooperation with NATO and air forces of other partner nations as well as the supply of standardized services, which are necessary for host nation support , is to be deepened. Due to the lack of modern and developed military aviation infrastructure, the development of the air force has so far been very slow.

In October 1994 three Mil Mi-2s were delivered, four Mil Mi-8s followed in November 1995. Between 1997 and 1998 two of the Mi-8s were modernized. The following aircraft are currently in use:

plane	origin	Type
Robinson R44	United States	Light multipurpose helicopter
An-2	Soviet Union	Light transport aircraft
Aero L-39	Czechoslovakia	Training aircraft

Defense League

→ Main article : Kaitseliit

Badge of the Kaitseliit

The Kaitseliit is a voluntary military national defense organization that acts on behalf of the Ministry of Defense. The Defense League owns weapons and takes part in military exercises. The main objective of the Kaitseliit is to defend the readiness for defense and the constitutional order, including in the event of a military threat, on the basis of the free will and initiative of citizens.

The Heimwehr Association consists of men and women who store weapons and uniforms at home. He plays an important role in supporting civil structures. The members do voluntary work as auxiliary police officers when extinguishing forest fires and ensure security at various events. Units made up of Kaitseliit volunteers participate in international peace support operations such as in the Balkans. The Defense Confederation and its affiliated organizations have positive relationships with partner organizations in Scandinavian countries, the United States and the United Kingdom.

The organization is divided into 15 regional units, the tasks of which largely coincide with the boundaries of the counties in Estonia. The Kaitseliit currently has more than 11,000 members. With the affiliated organizations of the Defense Union, it unites more than 20,000 volunteers. Affiliated organizations include the women's association Naiskodukaitse and the youth associations Noored Kotkad for boys and Kodutütred for girls.

staff

Data according to International Institute for Strategic Studies:

• Army: 3,300
• Navy: 300
• Air Force: 200
• Reservists: 12,200
• Kaitseliit : 11,000 (+ 9,000 volunteers from subsidiary organizations)

Uniforms

The Estonian Armed Forces use a number of different uniforms, including the modern digital camouflage combat suits known as the Estonian Digital Combat Uniform (ESTDCU). These are available in four different versions: forest, desert, winter and city camouflage patterns.

Regarding the rank badges : cf. the Wikipedia entries of the armed forces.

International cooperation

Estonia has been a full member of NATO since 2004 - it has been a top priority since the restoration of independence. Several states such as the United States of America work together in close cooperation on security and defense issues. Estonia has been participating in international military operations since 1995. Participation in international operations is an important contribution to cooperation with NATO and other international organizations.

The following missions with Estonian participation have taken place since 1995:

Estonian soldiers of the Scouts Battalion at the ready during a patrol in Baghdad, Iraq

Estonian XA-180 in Afghanistan

Honor formation with President Ilves (left), during the visit of US President Bush in Tallinn in 2006

country	Mission name	organization	Unit name	Workforce	Period of use
Croatia	UNPROFOR	U.N.			1995
Lebanon	UNIFIL	U.N.	ESTCOY FINIRISHBATT	135 40	1996–1997 since 2015
Bosnia and Herzegovina	IFOR , SFOR	NATO			1996-2004
Israel Syria	UNTSO	U.N.	Military observer	a staff officer	since 1997
Kosovo	KFOR	NATO	ESTPATROL, BALTSQN, ESTRIF	50	1999-2010
Kosovo	KFOR	NATO	KFOR HQ	a staff officer & a staff sergeant	1999-2018
Macedonia	Operation Concordia	EUFOR			2003
Iraq	MNF-I	Coalition of the Willing	ESTPLA	50	2003-2009
Iraq	NTM-I	NATO	Management staff	two staff officers	2005-2011
Iraq	Operation Inherent Resolve	multinational coalition	Staff officers, trainers		since 2016
Afghanistan	ISAF	NATO	ESTCOY, EODT, NSE	160	2003-2014
Afghanistan	Resolute support	NATO			since 2015
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Operation Althea	NATO, EUFOR	Military observer	two staff officers	2004-2011
Somalia	Operation Atalanta	EUFOR	MPE / VPD	10	2010-2013
Mali	EUTM Mali	EUFOR	instructor		since 2013
Mali	MINUSMA	U.N.			since 2013
Mediterranean Sea	Active Endeavor	NATO			2013
Mediterranean Sea	EUNAVFOR MED	EU		a logistics officer	since 2015
Central African Republic	EUFOR RCA	EUFOR		55 (a platoon of the army)	2014

U.N.

From 1996 to 1997 Estonia participated with a company (ESTCOY) in a UN observer mission in Lebanon, UNIFIL . The 135 Estonian soldiers were subordinate to a Norwegian battalion (NORBATT). The deployment was limited to six months. Since 1997, Estonian military observers have been deployed as part of the UNTSO in southern Lebanon and the Golan Heights. It is the longest running operation by the Estonian Armed Forces.

NATO

By changing the political situation with Russia and its approach in the Ukraine conflict , NATO has decided to increase its presence in the eastern NATO states of Europe by setting up bases (NFIU) in Poland , Romania , Bulgaria , Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania . These NATO bases will then serve as logistics and coordination centers for the "super-fast reaction force" (VJTF) . According to NATO plans, the VJTF should be at least 5000 men strong and be able to be relocated within 2 to 7 days. In addition, there is a NATO Response Force (NRF) from the NATO alliance of at least 15,000 to 25,000 soldiers, which should be deployable worldwide within six weeks.

Estonia is currently participating in NATO-led peace missions in Afghanistan and Kosovo within the framework of ISAF and KFOR . The Estonian military uses STANAG weapons and equipment from Finland, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Great Britain, the United States and Israel.

Kosovo:

Estonia has been participating in NATO's peace support mission in Kosovo since 2000 when ESTPATROL-1, an infantry unit consisting of military police officers, was relocated to Kosovo. The final unit, ESTPATROL - 14, completed its assignment in December 2006. ESTPATROL belonged together with Italian Carabinieri and French Gendarmerie to the Multinational Specialized Unit (MSU), a unit for the fight against crime and performed its service in Pristina .

In addition, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania provided a company-strength infantry unit, which was on a rotating basis for six months under the command of a Danish battalion (DANBN) and was stationed in Mitrovica . The deployment of this Baltic Reconnaissance Squadron began in March 2003. Estonia participated as follows:

unit	Period
BALTSQN - 7	March to August 2003
BALTSQN - 10	September 2004 to March 2005
BALTSQN - Nov.	February to August 2006

In June 2006, the Foreign Ministers of Estonia and Denmark agreed that from 2007 onwards, Estonia would continuously place a rotating infantry unit under the command of the Danish battalion in Mitrovica. On February 14, 2007 began the rotation of Estonian Reconnaissance in Force (ESTRIF), a reconnaissance infantry unit in platoon strength. In the following years, six ESTRIF units were part of the Multi-National Task Force North MNTF (N) .

Given that Kosovo is a European problem, and both NATO and the EU attach great importance to solving it, Estonia considers it necessary to continue its mission in Kosovo for as long as necessary. In line with NATO's decision to reduce troops in Kosovo, Estonia stopped contributing to the ESTRIF infantry unit in February 2010, but continues to participate in the deployment of staff officers.

Afghanistan:

Estonia began its fight against terrorism in Afghanistan in 2002 in the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom. Since 2003, Estonia has been participating in NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which is now carrying out NATO's most important mission. For Estonia as a NATO member, the mission in Afghanistan is one of the most important foreign policy priorities. It is the largest military operation by the Estonian Armed Forces abroad, in which up to 170 Estonian soldiers took part in 2010. The majority of the Estonian contingent - a 105-man infantry unit - is stationed with British forces in Helmand in southern Afghanistan, the province that is important for the stabilization of the state. The contingents are changed regularly, as with the operation in Iraq. To date, three Estonians have been killed and over 30 soldiers have been wounded while participating in NATO operations in Afghanistan.

NRF:

Estonia regularly participates in NATO Response Force contingents , ensuring prompt responses to emerging crises, including the rapid implementation of collective self-defense.

From May 2005 to March 2006, Estonia dispatched the flagship of the Estonian Navy, EML Admiral Pitka , to the Standing NRF Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG1), a naval component of the NRF. Estonia designated a munitions disposal team as the ground component of the NRF in the second half of 2006 and a 32-man military police unit in the first half of 2007. Estonia participated in the NRF-11 with the mine-hunting boat EML Admiral Cowan .

With 200 soldiers - consisting of an infantry company, a reconnaissance unit, staff officers, military police and a ordnance disposal team - Estonia participated in NRF-14 in the first half of 2010 as part of the joint infantry battalion of the Baltic States, BALTBAT.

From June to December 2010, Estonia participated in NRF-15. The mine-hunting boat EML Admiral Cowan , which was already taking part in preparation for the maritime exercise Brilliant Mariner in April 2010, was used again.

Coalition of the Willing

Since 2003, Estonia had a rotating contingent of up to 50 soldiers, assigned to the US 1st Cavalry Division, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Battalion , stationed in Iraq with its infantry group ESTPLA as part of the coalition of the willing . Their duties included raids and armed patrols. At the end of 2008, the last platoon with a strength of 34 soldiers was withdrawn because the Baltic state did not receive an official request from the Iraqi government to continue the mission. The mission officially ended in February 2009. 2 soldiers were killed in attacks, 18 were injured. However, Estonia still has two or three staff officers involved in NTM-I ( NATO Training Mission - Iraq ), the task of which is to train Iraqi security personnel.

EU

EUFOR

Estonia is currently participating in the EU-led peace mission in Bosnia within the framework of EUFOR . The EU military operation that began in 2004 is coming to an end and the unit of the Estonian Defense Federation has already withdrawn. At the moment, Estonia is still represented by sending staff officers.

The EUFOR mission in Chad and the Central African Republic, which started in 2008, only supports Estonia politically because of the lack of financial resources.

EU Battlegroup

Estonia regularly participates in contingents of the EU Battlegroups , European task forces deployed in emerging trouble spots.

From January 1 to June 30, 2008, the Nordic Battle Group (NBG) was fully operational under Swedish command together with participants from Finland, Ireland, Norway and Estonia. Estonia provided 50 soldiers.

When the NBG was deployed from January 1, 2011 to June 30, 2011, the Estonian Armed Forces provided 55 soldiers - including bodyguards, staff officers, a reconnaissance component, military police and logistics elements.

Operation Atalanta

On November 12, 2010, members of the Estonian Navy were commissioned by Lieutenant General Ants Laaneots to participate in the EU NAVFOR Somalia . The 10-person team completed a course in advance in which they were trained in combat small units, tactics of the military police and in abseiling from helicopters, as well as deepening CQB and weapons training. The crew was commanded by Lieutenant Rait Luks and should be stationed on the frigate Hamburg until April 2011 , where they should work closely with the German Navy .

The team acts as a Mobile Protection Element (MPE) and as a Vessel Protection Detachment (VPD). As MPE, the Estonians are tasked with protecting the frigate against threats at close range - for example from speedboats. The main task of the Estonian soldiers will be the protection of WFP and AMISOM ships . As a VPD, the team can be brought aboard merchant ships using an on-board helicopter or rubber dinghy and operate independently. A paramedic ensures medical care for the squad.

On March 15, 2011, together with the end of the EU mission of the frigate Hamburg, the task of the team under the leadership of Rait Luks, promoted to lieutenant captain, ended in the port of Djibouti. Previously, the Estonians had been deployed as VPD on the MV FATHIL RABI, a ship of the WFP, among others.

Baltic cooperation

To date, Estonia has developed active bilateral defense cooperation with almost all NATO partners and many other partners. Defense cooperation with the largest NATO member states: the USA, Great Britain, Germany and France was and is of considerable importance. However, Estonia maintains the closest cooperation with its northern neighbors Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden as well as with its southern neighbors Latvia and Lithuania.

Due to the common political goal - to become a member of NATO - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania had several joint successful defense projects that were created under NATO's “Partnership for Peace” program according to NATO standards. Since all Baltic states have achieved full membership in the Alliance, the security situation of the states has changed in many ways compared to the situation of ten years ago, and therefore trilateral cooperation is also changing in accordance with the new goals and challenges arising from the NATO- Membership result. Several joint projects were initiated on the trilateral side, some of which have continued to this day and others have already ended after the goal was achieved (BALTBAT, BALTSEA).

BALTBAT

The Baltic battalion BALTBAT was one of the most ambitious trilateral projects - the establishment of a joint motorized infantry battalion of the Baltic states, which was to be deployed in the first half of 2010 within the land forces of the NATO Rapid Reaction Force (NRF-14). Cooperation between the Baltic states in the area of ​​joint procurement has also been set in motion. The headquarters are in Kadaga, Latvia. With 200 soldiers - consisting of an infantry company, a reconnaissance unit, staff officers, military police and bomb disposal experts - Estonia participated in NRF-14 in the first half of 2010 as part of the joint infantry battalion of the Baltic States, BALTBAT.

BALTRON

The Baltic Naval Association BALTRON is a good example of successful cooperation between the Baltic naval forces. The mine-resistant naval squadron was founded in 1998 with the aim of participating in international peace operations. Today BALTRON is part of the training structure of the NATO anti-mine unit. The Baltic naval cooperation created the basis for the fact that from 2005 an Estonian, Latvian or Lithuanian ship will be available to NATO rapid reaction forces on a rotation basis; the Estonian staff and equipment ship "Admiral Pitka" was the first ship in service.

BALTNET

The Baltic Air Surveillance Network BALTNET was founded in 1998 as a system for the acquisition, coordination, dissemination and presentation of air surveillance data in the Baltic States together with the coordination office of the Regional Air Surveillance System (RASCC) based in Lithuania.

NATO's airspace surveillance over Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania is extremely important for all three countries, because they are unable to control and secure their airspace themselves. From 2018, the airspace monitoring and security will be carried out by the three states themselves. For this reason, the defense ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania passed a political directive in May 2008, according to which a joint analysis of the security of the airspace should be carried out, on the basis of which the possibilities for future airspace surveillance should be worked out. The Baltic states have to submit the relevant proposals to NATO by 2011.

BALTDEFCOL

The Baltic Defense Academy BALTDEFCOL was founded in 1998 as an international military training facility to provide officers of the Baltic States with a higher level of military training in accordance with NATO standards. The main function of the Defense Academy is to run courses for Joint Command and General Staff Courses in Baltic and other countries. The training takes place in English.

Since joining NATO in 2004, higher command studies courses and courses for civil servants (Civil Servants Course) have been offered. The focus of the higher international courses is to improve the leadership skills of senior general staff officers and civil servants. At the initiative of the Baltic countries, the academy's training offer has been expanded over the years and today offers more and more opportunities for NATO and EU countries and their new partner countries to train their officers and civil servants in the international courses of BALTDEFCOL.

In 2007/2008 officers and senior civil servants from 18 countries studied at BALTDEFCOL. In order to maintain the high quality of studies at the academy, teachers from abroad are used. Teachers from more than 10 different countries, including Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Poland and the USA, teach and teach here.

photos

• 

  Estonian submarines between 1936 and 1940

• 

  Estonian soldier on maneuvers

• 

  Estonian soldiers on patrol in Iraq

• 

  Estonian Aero L-39C Albatros

• 

  Military cemetery in Estonia

See also

• List of Estonian generals and admirals

Web links

Commons : Estonian Armed Forces  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Eesti Kaitsevägi (Estonian, English)
• Kaitseliit (Estonian)
• Estonian Defense (English)
• Estonian security policy

Individual evidence

1. ↑ The Secretary General's Annual Report 2016, p. 115 (PDF file), accessed on March 17, 2017 (English).
2. ^ Bundeswehr aktuell , January 12, 2009.
3. ↑ ^{a b} CIA World Factbook: Estonia (English), November 20, 2008 (accessed December 3, 2008).
4. ↑ ^{a b} Ratas: State budget for 2018 is the budget of a more equitable Estonia , press release of the Estonian government of September 28, 2017, accessed on February 12, 2018.
5. ↑ Estonian government approves 2018 state budget , online notification from EER dated September 27, 2017, accessed on February 12, 2018.
6. ↑ Kaitseväe juhatajad (Estonian).
7. ↑ Ajalugu (brief history of the armed forces on their website), accessed on 13 February 2015 (Estonian).
8. ↑ Publication of the presidential order on www.riigiteataja.ee, accessed on February 14, 2018 (Estonian).
9. ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies: The Military Balance. 2002.
10. ^ Eesti Kaitsevägi: Operations abroad - Kaitsevägi. Retrieved March 4, 2017 . 
11. ↑ Current Estonian forces disposition  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. As of November 14, 2010.  
12. ↑ Operatsioonid alates 1995 , accessed on May 29, 2015 (Estonian).
13. ↑ Estonia's contribution to UN missions  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. As of November 14, 2010.  
14. ↑ NATO is arming itself in the East , online report on welt.de from March 11, 2015
15. ↑ Estonia's contribution in Kosovo  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. As of November 14, 2010.  
16. ↑ Estonia's contribution to the NRF  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
17. ^ Brilliant Mariner ( Memento from April 15, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
18. ^ Withdrawal of the last Estonian troops from Iraq .
19. ^ President Ilves visits European Union Nordic Battle Group ( Memento from November 10, 2012 in the Internet Archive )
20. ↑ Estonia sends soldiers on pirate hunt