Conscription in Estonia should be renamed as a term, to reflect more accurately what an Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) soldier actually does during their training period, defense minister Kalle Laanet (Reform) says. Laanet was speaking after media reports said the Reform/Center government would be making defense spending cuts of up to €10 million, in line with its budgetary strategy. In my opinion, the term conscription (Estonian: ajateenistus - ed.) does not adequately express what actually happens during this time period, i.e. the young person does not deal with any time, but is engaged in training; learning to be entered on reserve lists after that particular time and be ready to defend the Estonian state, Laanet told ERR Tuesday.
A US-led large-scale military exercise in Estonia ended Friday after close to two weeks maneuvers which included a para jump involving hundreds of American and British airborne troops and the live-firing of several multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS). The exercise also dovetails into Estonian forces annual Exercise Spring Storm, which starts Monday.
Maj. Gen. Indrek Sirel, commander of the exercise, dubbed Swift Response, and itself a component of the pan-European exercise DEFENDER-Europe 21, said: The stage of Swift Response in Estonia is coming to an end, but the exercise Defender Europe, led by the United States Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF), is only starting in numerous other states. This exercise with our allies was a good warm-up for Kevadtorm, which is about to begin very soon.
The opening salvo of the Estonian component of a large-scale United States military exercise came in the form of Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) live-firing at an exercise involving personnel from both countries, along with the United Kingdom, Wednesday. Thursday evening saw a large scale United States airborne jump over central Estonia.
The live firing took place at the Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) Central Polygon training area in Harju County, part of Exercise Swift Response, which in turn is a subset of the U.S. DEFENDER-Europe 21 exercise.
Exercise Swift Response continued Thursday evening with the airborne drop over Nurmsi airfield in Järva County, which saw hundreds of U.S. airborne personnel making a jump.
Outgoing NATO Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) Battlegroup commander, Briton Colonel Paul Clayton, says the group, now over four years old, is thoroughly integrated with the Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) 1st Brigade, maintaining the same level of readiness, and to all intents and purposes of the same status as any sub-unit of a British Army brigade would be.
Appearing on ETV current affairs show Välisilm Monday evening, Col. Clayton said that: We work very closely with the other eFP elements here in the region, but also with NATO headquarters. There s a new NATO HQ being developed in Riga, called Multinational Division North, and their responsibility is for the region, and we work very closely with them. I ve also seen very close cooperation with the Estonian defense force, and the Latvian defense force as well, in discussing the defense of the region.
Laanet said that: I am glad that Saaremaa is a pioneering developer for the Estonian defense industry.
The Saaremaa-based Baltic Workboats (BWB) provided two force protection vessels for Estonia s own navy (Merevägi), launched in late 2020 and officially commissioned early on this year.
Laanet was visiting the island Friday, and talked to other firms there, as well as the district s volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit) unit.
The minister also toured precision electrical and electronic equipment and components manufacturer Ionix Systems factory while on Saaermaa.
The company makes wiring systems for both the aerospace and defense industries.
BWB also provided the minister with its projections for the coming year, while a newly-built vessel was showcased and options for developing the planned, un-crewed vessels which fit in with the defense ministry s vision for the 2030s