Estonia will make a decision on long-range air defense systems in September
The Estonian government plans to make a decision in principle regarding the volume of procurement and the supplier of long-range air defense systems during the September negotiations on the state budget. This was announced by the country’s Minister of Defense, Hanno Pevkur, according to ERR News.
The new systems are intended to complement the medium-range IRIS-T systems that have already been delivered to Estonia. They are planned to be used to protect strategic facilities, including airports, ports, and Defense Forces command centers. According to Estonian authorities, the destruction of such facilities could significantly weaken the defensive capabilities of the country and its allies.
The Estonian Defense Investment Center has completed a large-scale market study. Based on this study, the government will determine from which company to purchase the system and in what quantity. The cost of the purchase has not yet been determined: it is unclear whether the missile defense systems will cost less than 1 billion euros or more.
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According to Pevkur, the center is still finalizing certain details with the companies, while also preparing a memo for the government. The minister noted that the goal is to reach a decision in principle within one to two months, after which the center will be able to begin contract negotiations if necessary.
ERR News previously reported that Estonia is considering the American Patriot system, the Israeli David’s Sling, and the Franco-Italian SAMP/T. In total, requests for proposals have been sent to four or five companies. Some manufacturers can deliver the systems in two to three years, while others will need eight to nine years to do so.
The minister also noted that the proposals vary, and some systems have not yet entered production, although they are in the final stages of development. According to him, the situation with the American systems is complicated by their active use in Ukraine and difficulties with the supply of ammunition.
