Armée Estonienne/Estonian Army

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Estonia Completes Military Drills with NATO Allies
TALLINN, May 26 (RIA Novosti) - Estonia completed on Saturday large-scale military drills, which began on May 9 and involved some 5,000 military personnel, including from NATO allies, the General Staff of the Estonian Defense Forces said.

The Spring Storm (Kevadtorm) drills have been held annually in different parts of Estonia since 2003. This year they were held in northern and central Estonia and involved for the first time units from the UK, Belgium and Poland as well as the Estonian navy.

“Our military servicemen gained experience of cooperation with pilots from Poland, air defense experts from Belgium, infantrymen from Britain, Latvia and Lithuania by participating in joint drills,” Estonian Commander in Chief Gen.-Maj. Riho Terras said at a line-up in the village of Kuusalu.

NATO allies were represented by an infantry company from the UK and Latvia each, a reconnaissance platoon from Lithuania and an anti-aircraft missile platoon from Belgium.

The exercise also involved Polish attack aircraft SU-22, Estonia's training jets L-39, light helicopters R-44, light transport planes An-2 and French Mirage F-1 aircraft, according to Estonian newspaper Postimees.

President of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves attended the large-scale military exercise on May 17.

Estonia, as well as two other ex-Soviet republics in the Baltics - Latvia and Lithuania, joined NATO in March 2004.

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Baltic states begin preparations for Saber Strike exercise
29 May 2013
The armed forces of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have started preparations for the upcoming multinational theatre security cooperation exercise, code-named Saber Strike 2013 (SbS13).

Scheduled to be conducted 3-14 June, the annual exercise will feature approximately 2,000 military personnel from the three Baltic states, Finland, Norway, Poland, as well as the US and UK, Estonian TV has reported.

Additional participants include armed forces from the Polish headquarters of Nato's Multinational Corps Northeast (MNC NE).

The Estonian official tasked with planning the exercise, lieutenant colonel Tiit Paljak said the exercise's main headquarters would be located in Lithuania, while the participating air forces and the Corps Northeast are scheduled to be deployed in Estonia.

"Latvia will host the practical part of the exercises," Paljak said.Around 50 Polish and German troops along with 17 vehicles have already arrived to participate in the drills in the Estonian city of Paldiski, last week, according to Estonian TV.

Meanwhile, the US military has also transferred its equipment from Germany, including several types of high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles (HMMWVs) and trucks, as well as other equipment and an expert medical support unit, The Lithuania Tribune reported.

Saber Strike 2012 involved convoy operations, urban patrolling, base defence, cordon-and-search, counter-improvised explosives device (C-IED), and medical evacuation operations.

The US Army in Europe (USAREUR) led Saber Strike exercise aims to improve joint and combined interoperability between the US Army and partner nations, and also help prepare participants to successfully operate in a joint, multinational, interagency, integrated environment


http://www.army-technology.com/news/newsbaltic-states-start-preparations-for-saber-strike-exercise

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Estonian Defence Forces sign new Thales naval support contract

Thales UK has signed a contract with the Estonian Defence Forces to provide an additional four years of technical support and maintenance to two former Royal Navy (RN) mine countermeasures vessels (MCMVs) now serving with the Estonian fleet.
The contract provides a framework to achieve cost savings while accessing a wider range of support activities than previously provided. Thales offers a complete range of services and support packages to suit specific operational and maintenance requirements.
The two former RN Sandown-class vessels – HMS Sandown and HMS Inverness – were decommissioned and sold to Estonia in 2006. The vessels were re-named ENS Admiral Cowan and ENS Sakala.

As part of a programme to return the two ships to operational service, Thales originally signed a contract in 2006 to provide operational support to the ships in service and upgrades to Thales UK’s highly-successful Sonar 2093 system. This new contract now extends the support programme until December 2016.

Sonar 2093 is a variable-depth sonar system and is designed for the detection and classification of bottom and moored mines. It is optimized for littoral (coastal) and open-ocean waters and is effective against all known mine types.

The system is in service with the RN’s remaining Sandown-class MCMVs, and existing export contracts include Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Italy and the Republic of Korea.

Ed Lowe, head of Thales UK’s naval business, said: “We greatly value our relationship with the Estonian Navy and the Defence Forces and see this new contract as a key to providing their ships with the best and most cost-effective long term support that will enable them to meet their important national and NATO commitments.”

Neeme Kass, Director of the Procurement Service in Estonia, said: “This signed agreement is a result of effective cooperation with Thales and is significant for Estonian Defence Forces because our goal is to establish long-term partnerships with professional companies.”

http://www.thalesgroup.com

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REBTECH completes Estonia NVG modifications



REBTECH has announced that it has completed the modification of all aircraft lighting on four Robinson R44 helicopters for the Estonian Air Force. The lighting modifications included the additional of night vision capabilities to allow the comprehensive night vision goggle (NVG) training of Estonia’s military rotor wing aviators.

The work, based on REBTECH's NVG Supplemental Type Certificate (STC), was carried out by REBTECH technicians on location at the Estonian Air Force Base near Amari, Estonia.

REBTECH installed the FAA STC equipment for the helicopters under the FAA guidance for foreign military programmes. The use of the REBTECH NVG cockpit and cabin lighting equipment night vision technology will allow the Estonia Air Force to expand their night operations with improved safety and operational readiness. Two of the aircraft are equipped with external load provisions used for training.

The four aircraft will be supported by REBTECH from their main offices located in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

http://www.shephardmedia.com/news/rotorhub/rebtech-completes-estonia-nvg-modifications/

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Accueil> INTERNATIONAL

L'Estonie va acheter des drones de surveillance pour contrer la Russie

http://french.china.org.cn/foreign/txt/2014-01/11/content_31156180.htm

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 Centrafrique: l'Estonie enverra 55 soldats  

Pour prévenir le génocide en Centrafrique et soutenir les militaires français, Tallinn dépêchera jusqu'à 55 soldats dans ce pays africain dans le cadre de la future mission militaire de l'UE, a déclaré jeudi aux journalistes le premier ministre estonien Andrus Ansip.

"Ce pays éprouve un besoin urgent d'aide humanitaire. Toutefois, dans certains cas l'aide humanitaire s'avère insuffisante. Pour pouvoir fournir cette aide il faut tout d'abord aider à garantir la sécurité. Par le passé, l'Estonie a reçu beaucoup d'aide et c'est notre devoir moral d'offrir une aide aux autres", a souligné le chef du gouvernement.

Selon M.Ansip, le contingent estonien aura pour mission d'assurer conjointement avec des soldats français la sécurité d'un aéroport centrafricain. Il est possible que les soldats estoniens soient ultérieurement engagés dans la sécurisation des principales autoroutes du pays.

Le ministre estonien de la Défense Urmas Reinsalu a de son côté fait savoir que le contingent estonien serait prêt vers la fin du mois de février à réaliser une mission de quatre mois.

En janvier 2013, les autorités de la République centrafricaine et les représentants de l'opposition ont signé un accord de paix. Cependant, en mars, les rebelles de la coalition Séléka se sont emparés de la capitale du pays. Le chef de l'Etat François Bozizé s'est alors réfugié à l'étranger, tandis que le leader de la rébellion Michel Djotodia s'est autoproclamé président, transformant le pays en un théâtre d'affrontements armés entre les partisans et les adversaires du nouveau pouvoir.

Vendredi dernier, le président autoproclamé a présenté sa démission avant de se réfugier au Bénin.

Quelque 1.600 militaires français soutenu par les troupes de l'Union africaine mènent actuellement une opération en RCA visant à prévenir des affrontements entre deux groupes adversaires.

http://opexnews.over-blog.com/2014/01/centrafrique-l-estonie-enverra-55-soldats.html

Aero L-39Z  

  

PHOTOS:

Citation :

Estonian battle equipment buy endangered



Last week, NATO defence ministers convened in Brussels to discuss situation in Ukraine. According to Urmas Reinsalu, holder of said portfolio in government of Estonia, another important private meeting happened with Dutch colleague Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert. The topic: Estonia’s desire to buy, from Holland, CV90 combat vehicles and PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzers.


Actually, this wasn’t the first time the defence ministers talked about this – according to Mr Reinsalu, Estonia has entered into negotiations with Holland. Last week, another Estonian official was in the Netherlands to hold talks – Ingvar Pärnamäe, vice chancellor at Ministry of Defence.

At the start of this year, talks were underway about purchasing the US Bradley combat vehicles. At the beginning of January, Mr Reinsalu paid a visit to the USA and though not covered by the news at the time, they did also talk about the combat machines buy.

Bradleys, however, were set aside: firstly, they are older than the CV90; secondly, their procurement would take a lot longer. And, lastly and not least, Mr Reinsalu admits: «The price level wasn’t acceptable.»

Thus, they are now talking about the CV90, used by the Dutch army – a world top vehicle in its class. Actually, CV90 is of Swedish production. The Swedes themselves use a version with 40 mm automatic gun; to the Dutch, however, they sold the 35 mm gun version.

CV90 has been used in Afghani battles, both by the Danes and the Dutch. Its team is a trio: commander, gunner, and driver. In addition to these, the vehicle can carry up to eight soldiers.

Buy threatened?



The defence ministry is unwilling, at this point, to reveal details of talks with Holland. However, we are talking about the purchase of 40–50 combat vehicles. Regarding the price, the ministry also remains tongue-tied. Certainly, however, the bill would be bigger than €100m. «Probably, the biggest defence procurement in Estonian history,» confirms Mr Reinsalu.

In addition to combat vehicles, Estonia wants to get some Dutch PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzers. Whether these would be purchased together or separately – combat vehicles first, howitzers later – is undecided as yet. Probably, that is up to definite options, prices, and how the talks go.

The events of these past few weeks, however, have endangered the procurement. The inevitable change of government, now ahead of Estonia, disturbs that kind of talks. No-one – neither politicians nor definite ministry officials doing their job – haven’t any idea what the weeks to come may hold: what will be the new policies, what will the new minister want. For instance: in recent years, the soc dems have publicly criticised rapid increase of defence budget.

And even if the new coalition – be the new minister a soc dem, a «reformer» or an IRL guy – opts to keep Estonian’s national defence on current course, still another governmental change looms as early as 2015, and with the elections in view the government might not want to deal with costly, complex and controversial decisions. With defence equipment, for instance, this might not mean change of decisions; rather, things may just be delayed.

The same wait-and-see mode has set in at other ministries, with the complicated and controversial decisions on hold. In economy ministry, ferry procurement is shelved; as is the cutting of renewable energy fees – a policy by Juhan Parts, one that soc dems don’t agree with.

We need tanks

It’s another matter how development of national defence is going to be impacted by Russian aggression in Ukraine. On the one hand, it should make Estonia try harder.

«Actually, we ought to increase defence budget and set as our new goal to have a complete mechanized brigade ready by 2018,» said the IRL chairman Mr Reinsalu.

This means that, in addition to combat vehicles and self-propelled howitzers, Estonia should buy tanks. For the latter, however, the current budget limits for near-future will definitely hold no money.

Recalling the Russian-Georgian war – back then, also, big words were uttered about this being Estonia’s lesson and that Estonia need quickly and principally ratchet up its defence development. Even so, after a few months, the same old same old set in again. Possibly, that’s what will happen again, in wake of the Ukrainian crisis.

http://news.postimees.ee/2719260/estonian-battle-equipment-buy-endangered

Bangui le 26 mai 2014, débarquement des véhicules blindés XA-180 Estonien d'un C17 de la RAF.

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PHOTOS:

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Dutch selling armored vehicles to Estonia


CV90 armored vehicle. (U.S. Army photo)

THE HAGUE, Netherlands, Oct. 2 (UPI) -- The Ministry of Defense of the Netherlands will sell 44 of its new CV90 infantry fighting vehicles to Estonia, it was announced on Thursday.

The sale, announced in the Estonian capital of Tallinn during a visit by Dutch Minister of Defense Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, comes amid tension in Estonia over Russia's annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine and machinations elsewhere in that country.

"Every day we are witnessing cases that demonstrate that peace is fragile and therefore it is not to be regarded as self-evident," Hennis said. "We cannot sit back and watch from the sidelines."

Estonia, once part of the Soviet Union, is a member of NATO. In February, Dutch forces will participate in military exercises in Estonia.

Dutch fighters, with other NATO aircraft, help patrol the skies over the Baltic since Baltic states have no air forces.

The Dutch Ministry of Defense said details of the sale of the armored vehicles are still being negotiated and are expected to be completed in December.

The sale of the 44 Swedish-made vehicles will leave the Netherlands with 149 CV90s in its inventory.

The Netherlands said cost-cutting was the impetus for the sale.

"The 44 CV90 are being divested as a result of the government resolution 'In the interests of the Netherlands' and the supplementary budget agreement of October 2013," the ministry said.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2014/10/02/Dutch-selling-armored-vehicles-to-Estonia/2981412263624/#ixzz3F4wCQ2R6

Citation :

Estonia buys 44 combat vehicles from the Netherlands

The Estonian government has decided to buy 44 CV90 infantry vehicles for the Estonian Defence Forces from the Netherlands, in what is the largest defence procurement project ever for the country.



Previously, the largest Estonian defence procurement projects were the purchase of MBDA-made Mistral missiles for about USD84.5 million in 2009, and three Sandown-class minehunter vessels from the UK’s Royal Navy for about USD64 million in 2007.

“The infantry vehicles will take the Estonian defence ability to a new level,” Defence Minister Sven Mikser said. The cost has not been disclosed yet, but is rumoured to be around EUR100 million.

The CV90s will enter the service from 2016 and are expected to remain in use for at least 20 years. The vehicles have been used by the Dutch, but are relatively new.

The CV90 infantry vehicles are produced since 1993 by Sweden-based BAE Systems Hägglunds AB and they’re in service with the Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Swiss, Finnish and Swedish defence forces. It has also seen service in Afghanistan.

In a related development, Dutch troops will take part in the next Estonian Independence Day parade and hold joint exercises with the Scouts Battalion.

Mikser said the Netherlands had a clear desire to further strengthen defence cooperation with Estonia. Among other things, the Netherlands is contributing to Baltic Air Policing.

The Estonian-Dutch defence cooperation has mainly been focused on procurement. Since 2004, Estonia has acquired over 1,100 lightly used and well-maintained trucks and SUVs, some 500 trailers and staff containers and 81 SISU XA-188 armoured personnel carriers

http://estonianworld.com

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Estonia to replace Soviet-era An-2 aircraft with US-supplied Sherpas


Gareth Jennings, Amari Airbase, Estonia - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly

16 December 2014    


The Estonian Air Force is to replace the two Antonov An-2 'Colt' transport aircraft it operates in favour of a pair of Shorts C-23 Sherpas, a service official disclosed on 17 December.

Speaking during a media tour of Amari Airbase, 2nd Lieutenant Pille Joala said that the An-2s, which have been in Estonian service since 1996 but date back to the former Soviet Union, will continue to operate until the end of 2015, before being replaced by two Sherpa aircraft that are to be procured from the United States.

According to Lt Joala, herself an An-2 pilot, the Sherpas should arrive in Estonia a few months before they are due to take over the light transport role from the An-2, and that the seven pilots assigned to the An-2 will shortly begin conversion training.


http://www.janes.com/article/47066/estonia-to-replace-soviet-era-an-2-aircraft-with-us-supplied-sherpas

ESTSOF

Estonian Defence Forces - Kuperjanov Battalion

Citation :

Milices armées en Estonie


Actualité des forces  16 juillet 2015


Une vague de licenciements dans l’est russophone de l’Estonie constitue une menace pour la sécurité du pays et risque d’inci­ter certains de ces nou­veaux chômeurs à rejoindre le rang des pro-Moscou, avertissent des experts.

Quelque 200 mineurs et plus de 420 salariés d’une usine d’engrais viennent d’être licenciés ou sont sur le point de l’être dans le comté d’Ida Viru, où le taux de chômage est déjà supérieur à la moyenne nationale.

«Une guerre hybride menée par Moscou est en cours et sa phase la plus compli­quée a commencé : la création d’une milice armée constituée de gens mécontents de la politique des gouvernements dans les pays baltes», assure Vladimir Jushkin, directeur du Centre universitaire des études baltes et russes installé à Tartu (Estonie). Selon lui, les autorités doivent expliquer directe­ment à ces chômeurs «les raisons de ces licenciements et les mesures prises pour y remédier».

Tout en affirmant que la situation était sous contrôle, les autorités estoniennes continuent à se préparer à l’éventualité d’une telle guerre hybride, avec l’aide des Etats-Unis.

Dans un article publié le 3 juillet dans le Washington Post, le commandant de l’Otan en Europe, le général Philip Breedlove, indiquait que des forces spéciales américaines aident des pays, comme l’Estonie et la Lettonie, à se préparer dans ce domaine. Un groupe a commencé à travailler à Tallinn, selon la télévision publique estonienne.

Pendant ce temps-là, en Lituanie, un quartier général a ouvert le 9 juillet, à Vilnius, pour abriter une Unité d’intégration des forces de l’Otan. Celle-ci constituera un des QG multinationaux prépositionnés par l’Alliance en vue de faciliter le déploiement de sa nouvelle Force de réaction rapide (VJTF), dont la création a été décidée en septembre 2014 au sommet du pays de Galles. Le QG de Vilnius, fort d’une quaran­taine de personnes, sera assuré pendant trois ans par un officier danois, assisté d’un Lituanien.

http://www.ttu.fr/milices-armees-en-estonie/

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Friday, 28 August 2015
Estonia plans to build fence along its eastern border with Russia

Estonia on Thursday said it would build a fence along its eastern border with Russia to safeguard its security and to protect the EU's passport-free Schengen zone. The Estonian Interior ministry spokesman Toomas Viks said construction would begin in 2018.






http://worlddefencenews.blogspot.com/2015/08/estonia-plans-to-build-fence-along-its.html

Jordan and Estonia order FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missile systems



https://far-maroc.forumpro.fr/t455p405-armee-jordanienne-jordanian-armed-forces#399965

Bientôt chez l'armée Estonienne

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The worlds first Hybrid Unmanned Ground Vehicle Made in Estonia By Dylan Vosman - Sep 16, 2015




A unique, multipurpose UGV (unmanned ground vehicle) will be the first vehicle of its kind to use ultracapacitor technology. The high power cells from record-breaking manufacturer Skeleton Technologies will be used to deliver greatly increased energy efficiency and product reliability. The hybrid UGV has been developed by Estonian defence solutions provider Milrem, a company specialising in military engineering, repair and maintenance. Unlike existing UGVs it provides a universal platform for any application from communication relay to medevac, lifting platform to fire-fighting. This plug-and-play capability is made possible by housing all equipment inside the vehicle’s tracks. The multipurpose UGV can be used for a wide range of defence requirements including reconnaissance and observer missions, targeting weapon systems and providing support solutions such as medical supplies. The universal platform allows operators to optimise their vehicle fleet and reduce life cycle management costs with simplified maintenance and spare supplies. With energy consumption becoming an increasing concern in the defence sector, the Milrem UGV was designed to be as efficient as possible. A highly sophisticated control unit regulates energy flow between the diesel generator, electric motors and Skeleton Technologies’ ultracapacitors. This system reduces overall energy consumption by 25–40%. The ultracapacitors also ensure reliability by starting the vehicle in cold conditions or after prolonged periods in storage. Kuldar Väärsi, Chairman of the Board at Milrem, explains why they chose to work with Skeleton Technologies: “Firstly we chose these ultracapacitors for their performance; we knew they would deliver the efficiency and reliability we required. But we also liked the company’s approach to working alongside their customers to develop new products and new ideas.” Ultracapacitors are a highly efficient form of energy storage that are able to provide very high currents of power. Skeleton Technologies’ cells can also charge and discharge millions of times, offering lifetimes up to 500 times longer than batteries. Crucially for applications in colder climates, the technology can operate in temperatures as low as -65 °C. “We are proud to have worked with Milrem for our first deployment in the defence sector,” explains Skeleton Technologies Chief Executive Officer, Taavi Madiberk. “From powering space shuttles with the European Space Agency to ensuring cold weather start in trucks, the range of applications for our high-power technology is increasing all the time.” The first prototype of the Milrem multipurpose UGV will be unveiled in London at Europe’s leading defence and security event, DSEI 2015 which runs from 15 to 18 September. Milrem can be found at stand N3-362. skeletontech.com

Read more at: http://defence-blog.com/army/the-worlds-first-hybrid-unmanned-ground-vehicle-made-in.html