U.S. President Donald Trump has called for ships to help ensure security in the Strait of Hormuz and Estonian politicians have expressed readiness to discuss sending forces.

Saska said this is not the first time Estonia has considered deploying its vessels to the Persian Gulf. In 2014, Estonia weighed joining a U.S.-British mine countermeasures squadron based in Bahrain.

"We mapped it out in great detail, down to food requirements, fuels, spare parts, the route and other necessary prerequisites," Saska recalled.

However, when the war in Ukraine began in 2014, it was decided that the Navy would not pursue the plan further.

The former Navy commander noted that circumstances have changed significantly since then, as the ships have aged by 12 years in the meantime.

"Today, I can say with confidence that the Sandown-class minehunters we operate are suited to our region. But to bring them into a condition that would technically allow deployment there would take a minimum of two to three years," Saska said.

Achieving readiness for a diving unit, however, would be quicker.

Saska observed that in 2014, local diplomacy played a major role, particularly in concluding agreements with Gulf states concerning the legal status of active-duty personnel stationed there. The question also arises as to whose jurisdiction applies if something goes wrong.

"Our diplomatic capacity there was not very strong in 2014. Perhaps that has changed by now," he added.

According to Saska, there is also the possibility of deploying units to the region more quickly.

"But to quote the American president, what is being asked for are ships," he said. "I can bet with absolute certainty that we will not be able to do this within the next two years. There are very clear technical limitations. These are currently functioning mine countermeasure vessels, but extensive modifications would be needed for deployment to that region."

Ships of a similar class have previously been operated there by the British, but to Saska's knowledge they are no longer present. The local unit, which previously relied mainly on mine countermeasure vessels, has now shifted more toward unmanned systems, he noted.

"This is an interesting nuance in itself. Although many countries have said that unmanned mine countermeasure systems are the new and correct direction, those operating such systems are not currently talking about going there. Everyone is saying they would need a crewed mine countermeasure vessel," Saska explained.

He acknowledged that Estonia's current mine countermeasure vessels require investment to remain operational through 2035 or 2040.

At the same time, Saska stressed that although mine countermeasure vessels have faced criticism, they are among the few units that have maintained Estonia's allied relations since 2005, participating each year for four to six months in a standing NATO mine countermeasures group.

Estonia's mine countermeasure vessels are also needed in the Baltic Sea. Typically, of the three ships, one is in a mine countermeasures group, another is in maintenance or training — with the training cycle restarting every six months — and only one vessel remains available for domestic tasks.

"If that one ship were sent to the Persian Gulf region, it would not be a four- to six-month mission, but most likely a deployment of two to three years. Setting up such an operation, from diplomacy to technical support, is simply so resource- and time-intensive," he said.

Sending a ship is also complicated by the fact that the British and Americans no longer have this class of vessel in the region.

"That means the local support, which was strong in 2014, is now essentially nonexistent. That in turn makes the whole idea questionable," Saska said.

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