The US Congress has approved USD 200mn in security assistance to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania under the Baltic Security Initiative (BSI) in 2026, ERR reports. BSI supports the independent defence capabilities and interoperability of the Baltic States. In addition, the US has allocated defence aid to the Baltic States under the Department of State’s Foreign…
The defence ministers of the three Baltic States have signed a letter of intent on establishing a Baltic Military Mobility Area, LSM reports. The aim is to standardise border crossing procedures, coordinate the movement of military cargo, and ensure operational information exchange. Furthermore, the Baltic allies will work to align their military movement procedures with…
The Estonian Centre for Defence Investments (RKIK) has signed a contract to buy six K239 Chunmoo self-propelled multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS) from South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace for EUR 290mn, ERR reports. Under the deal, Hanwha will deliver the MLRS units within two years. Additional units and longer range may be added later. Also, Hanwha will…
The US Congress has approved an increase in the maximum number of HIMARS systems and related munitions that can be sold to Estonia, BNS reports. According to Vanguard Intel Group, the US has raised the sales cap from EUR 500mn to EUR 4.73bn. This would allow Estonia to buy an additional 12 HIMARS launchers, 200…
Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal will host a summit of Baltic rim NATO countries in Helsinki on 14 January 2025 to discuss the security of critical undersea infrastructure and Russia’s shadow fleet, ERR reports. Political leaders from all Baltic rim NATO countries, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and European Commission…
Estonia is due to receive a US-made M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and other artillery and air defence systems soon, Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur announced, ERR reports. Estonia will receive an IRIS-T medium-range air defence system, 18 different mobile artillery pieces, around EUR 700mn worth of ammunition, nearly 200 armoured vehicles, and various…
Estonia’s Defence Ministry sees no need to halt the development of wind farms off the Estonian coast, Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur announced, ERR reports. He insisted that air and maritime surveillance issues related to offshore wind farm projects were manageable. Pevkur assured that concerns expressed by the Estonian Defence Forces (EDF) over the negative impact…
The defence ministers of the three Baltic States met with a high official of Poland’s Defence Ministry in Latvia’s Daugavpils to discuss the strengthening of regional defence infrastructure, LSM reports. Latvian Defence Minister Andris Spruds stressed the importance of implementing NATO decisions to strengthen the defence of the alliance’s eastern flank, including regional air-defence capabilities….
Estonian officials have again refuted suggestions that the rupture of the Balticconnector gas pipeline and two data cables in the Baltic Sea by the Chinese cargo ship, NewNew Polar Bear, in October 2023 was an accident, ERR reports. “You would need to find a very stupid captain” for the incident to have been an accident,…