Long‑range air defense decision expected in September budget talks
Estonian government plans to make a fundamental decision during September's state budget talks on the scope and supplier of long‑range air defense systems, Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said.
The government intends to procure long‑range air defense systems in addition to the medium‑range IRIS‑T system already delivered to Estonia. These systems would protect strategic targets such as airports, ports, or defense force command centers, whose destruction could significantly weaken Estonia's and its allies' defense capabilities.
Pevkur said the Estonian Center for Defense Investments (RKIK) has completed an extensive market study. Based on that, the Cabinet will begin discussing in about a month which company to buy the system from and in what volume. This means it is still unclear whether ballistic missile defense will be purchased for less than or more than €1 billion.
"The Center for Defense Investments is still clarifying a few details with the companies. At the same time, we are putting together a Cabinet memo. The goal is to make a fundamental decision within one or two months, and then the Center for Defense Investments can begin contract negotiations if needed," Pevkur said.
ERR reported earlier this year that Estonia is considering the U.S. Patriot system, Israel's David's Sling, and the French‑Italian SAMP/T. In total, offers have been requested from four or five companies. Pevkur said some companies could deliver a system in two to three years, while others would need eight to nine years.
"The market situation varies widely. What companies offer also differs — some offer products not yet in production but in the final stages of development. The offers are not directly comparable, so we need to combine our own analysis with the market study to determine which system is suitable for concrete price and contract negotiations," he said.
The minister said companies' ability to offer long‑range air defense systems to Estonia has also been affected by events such as the U.S.–Iran war.
"The most complicated situation is with U.S. products, because they are actively used in Ukraine, and we see that ammunition supply is the most difficult there. This is the work we must now do with the companies — to understand whether what was offered to us is actually feasible or not," Pevkur said.
--
Editor: Mait Ots, Argo Ideon
