News

2023-06-01

Estonia Contracts IAI for Long-range Loitering Munitions

The Republic of Estonia recently signed an agreement with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to procure advanced long-range loitering munitions, making it one of the most expensive defence procurements the country has made. The first deliveries are expected to arrive in 2024, with the necessary training provided to the Defence Forces before deployment. The Defence Forces will be ready to use the systems as soon as they arrive.

The procurement of long-range loitering munitions aims to strengthen Estonia’s defence capability by increasing its indirect fire capabili-ties. Along with extended-range artillery ammunition, anti-ship missiles, and multiple-launch rocket systems, Estonia will have various capabilities to influence the adversary from long distances in the near future.

“Long-range loitering munitions are an important addition to the development of Estonia’s defence capability. The introduction of this new capability allows us to attack the enemy from a longer distance. As a result, indirect fire becomes more layered and flexible, increas-ing the range of fire, which means that the defence forces can hit the enemy where it hurts,” said Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur.

The Estonian Defence Forces’ indirect fire capability is provided by various calibre mortars in the composition of manoeuvre units and self-propelled howitzers in divisional composition. In 2024-2025, multiple rocket launchers and long-range loitering munitions units will also be created within the Defence Forces.

Prior to the procurement of stealth air-launched munitions, thorough market research was reportedly conducted to find the most suitable solution for the defence forces’ needs. Estonia’s order focused primarily on achieving long-range offensive capabilities. Criteria included precision, munition robustness, and wide-ranging simultaneous offensive capability.

“The market for long-range loitering munitions is currently turbulent. Recent conflicts have demonstrated the high effectiveness of this type of offensive weapon, leading to the development of such systems by several countries, with new players expected to enter the market soon. The future of this market will certainly involve intense competition, and the coming years will reveal where these systems will further evolve. Currently, we have made orders for long-range weapons which we cannot disclose the exact specifications of, but in the future, we plan to acquire similar weapons with different technical capabilities and for firing at different ranges,” highlighted Ramil Lipp, armament category manager of the Estonian Centre of Defense Investment (ECDI).

IAI’s President and CEO, Boaz Levi, said: “Estonia is a strategic partner for IAI. This award reflects the growing trust and relations between Estonia and our company. IAI offers a family of loitering munition missiles, providing a wide range of solutions from the tactical to the strategic level”.

Levi added that IAI’s loitering munitions are particularly useful when users seek more flexibility and responsiveness in employing fire-power to quickly spot the enemy and act decisively based on the information acquired by the weapon itself in real-time. Loitering muni-tions are suited for naval or land platforms .