Estonia ramps up military spending amid Russia-Ukraine war

Europe, News June 14, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

Estonia is ramping up its military spending to execute its ten years of military modernization plan. High-level officials from the Estonian government have announced that Tallinn is making the most expensive defense investments ever made by a Baltic state.

According to the Estonian Defense Ministry, the government plans to spend almost $14.5 billion over the course of the next ten years for its military modernization program. The ministry said that the figure has been revised and derived after the threat assessment of Estonia’s wider environs, the Baltic Sea region.

Estonia’s military spending would account for at least 3% of its GDP from 2024 to 2027 and at least 2.85% of its GDP for this year. NATO alliance encourages its member states to spend at least 2% of their GDP on defense. Tallinn would spend an additional $1.1 billion specifically for ammunition this year. Overall, 54% of the designated military spending budget will be spent on procurement.

Commander of the Estonian Forces Gen. Martin Herem, conducted a press conference this week announcing his country’s National Defense Development Plan 2022-2031. The released document shows a number of acquisitions from Israeli arms manufacturers including Harpy long-range loitering munitions, manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), which Estonia will start to receive next year.

*^{Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas reviewed military equipment and stationed troops’ progress during Spring Storm Exercise. (Image Credit: Twitter/@KajaKallas)}*

Estonian defense minister Hanno Pevkur stated that the addition of long-range missiles to their arsenal was critical. “The importance of indirect fire cannot be overestimated, since Russia has caused much of the destruction in Ukraine through this. Their introduction [will] allow us to attack the enemy from a longer distance,” he said.

In the next two years, the Estonian military is also set to acquire additional anti-tank capabilities. This includes the Spike missile, in the short-range version for its brigades, and the long-range model for its territorial defense. Made by Israel’s Rafael, the weapon is sold in Europe by Eurospike GmbH, whose shareholders are Diehl Defense, Rheinmetall Electronics, and Rafael-owned ERCAS BV.

The Estonian Navy is also ramping up its acquisition by procuring the Blue Spear land-to-sea missiles that will be used for coastal defense within the next two years. The missile is a product of Proteus Advanced Systems, a joint venture between Israel’s IAI and Singapore’s ST Engineering Land Systems.

*^{UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly visited Ämari Air Base in Estonia, where he met with British airmen participating in the Baltic air policing mission. (Image Credit: Twitter/@@Kaitsevagi)}*

For almost two decades, the Estonian army has relied on Finnish-made weapons and ammunition. Estonia’s latest military modernization drive would allow Tallinn to acquire the latest weapons from Israel. Notably, Estonia’s current administration was the country’s first government to change its policy towards Tel Aviv by deciding not to vote for UN resolutions condemning its actions in Gaza Strip and West Bank.