Maavägi

The Maavägi, ( _en. Ground Forces) Audio|Est-Army.ogg|listen is the name of the unified ground forces of the Republic of Estonia. The "Ground Forces" have an offensive military formation role among the Estonian Defence Forces. The average size of the military formation in peacetime is about 5,000 of whom about 2,200 are conscripts. The Army component of the operational structure consists of an infantry brigade and a homeland security structure. Infantry brigade acts as a training and support frame for deployable units. Homeland security structure units will have the capability to carry out territorial military tasks and support civil structures.

The Army development priorities are the capability to participate in missions outside the national territory and the capability to perform operations to protect the territory of Estonia, also in co-operation with the Allies.

The Reserve Army

The Estonian Army is structured according to the principle of a reserve force which means that the main part of the defence forces of the state are units in the reserve. For a state with few human and economic resources, a reserve force based on the will of defence of the citizens is the only viable form of national defence.

In peacetime the reservists conduct normal lives and the state takes care of their training and the procurement of equipment and weapons. In wartime the reservists are mobilized into military units. The reserve units are formed on the territorial principle, i.e. conscripts from one area are called up at one time to one unit and after service they are sent to the reserve as one unit. The Estonian Army is always in constant defence readiness in co-operation with the other services.

Units

*Army training centres: Viru Independent Infantry Battalion
[http://lttvok.mil.ee Quartermaster Battalion]
[http://www.parnupat.ee Pärnu Independent Infantry Battalion]
[http://www.vahipataljon.ee Independent Guard Battalion]
Tapa Training Center
Central Firing Ground
Independent Signal Battalion

*Professional infantry units: [http://www.scoutspataljon.ee Scouts Battalion]
[http://www.rok.ee Peace Operations Centre]

Equipment

Since the restoration of the Estonian Defence Forces on September 3 1991 the Maavägi has developed with a great deal. [http://mil.ee/?menu=kaitsevagi&sisu=kvaja1 Eesti Kaitseväe ajalugu] Today the Ground Force operates with modern weapons and weapon-systems on foreign missions and future battlefields. Even though the current logistic support is still based on variety of different and mainly older Western vehicles, also former Soviet, the modernization of the army branch is in the national defence policy agenda. In recent years Estonia has purchased more modern transport vehicles for the armed forces of the republic.

Armor

Armoured personnel carriers

*Sisu XA-180 armoured personnel carrier. Units: "57"
*BTR-80 armoured personnel carrier. Units: "80".
*BTR-152 armoured personnel carrier. Units: "5".

Armoured cars

*Mamba Alvis-4 armoured car. Units: "9".
*BRDM-2 armoured amphibious scout car. Units: "7".

upport vehicles

*Bandvagn 206 tracked articulated all-terrain carrier. Units: "has not been revealed"

Artillery

Mortars

*81mm Soltam light mortar. Units: "has not been revealed"
*120mm M/41D heavy mortar. Units: "has not been revealed"

Howitzers

*105mm M-40 light field howitzer. Units: "20".
*122mm D-30 light field howitzer. [http://epl.ee/?uudised=419157 Soome pakub soodsaid suurtükke] Units: "36".
*155mm FH-70 heavy field howitzer. Units: "24".

Anti-tank weapons

Anti-tank artillery

*90mm Pvpj 1110 light anti-tank gun. Units: "has not been revealed"
*106mm M40 light anti-tank gun. A large number has been mounted on jeeps. Units: "has not been revealed"

Anti-tank missiles

*40mm M-69 shoulder-launched missile.
*82mm B-300 shoulder-launched missile.
*84mm AT4 shoulder-launched missile.
*84mm Carl-Gustaf M2 shoulder-launched missile.
*115mm MILAN-2 anti-tank guided missile. Majority of the weapon-systems have been mounted on Mercedes-Benz 250GD jeeps.
*148mm MAPATS anti-tank guided missile.
*180mm MAPATS anti-tank guided missile. Majority of the weapon-systems have been mounted on Chevrolet M1008 jeeps.

Air-defence weapons

Air-defence artillery

*23mm ZU-23-2 Short-range air-defence artillery. Units: "198".

Air-defence missiles

*90mm Mistral surface-to-air missile. Missiles have been mounted on tactical transport vehicles and include radars. Units: "25" batteries.

Army aviation

There are plans to develop a helicopter transport capability for the Ground Force. The National Defence Policy Agenda is currently under a development, the Army aviation developmement areas will be announced in late 2008.

Estonian Army international cooperation

In 2004, Estonia joined NATO, which had been one of its foremost priorities since the restoration of independence. The United States is among the countries with which Estonia has very close cooperation in the defence and security fields. Estonia utilizes many weapons produced by Israel Military Industries.

Estonia currently has 35 soldiers fighting alongside American Forces in Iraq and 140 soldiers, or about 3% of its total active military force, fighting alongside British Forces in Afghanistan. In both cases, the units are regularly rotated. Estonia also provides peacekeepers for international missions in both Bosnia and Kosovo and contributes to EU battlegroups and NATO Response Force rotations.

Estonian Army international cooperation

In 2004, Estonia joined NATO, which had been one of its foremost priorities since the restoration of independence. The United States is among the countries with which Estonia has very close cooperation in the defence and security fields. Estonia utilizes many weapons produced by Israel Military Industries.

Estonia currently has 35 soldiers fighting alongside American Forces in Iraq and 140 soldiers, or about 3% of its total active military force, fighting alongside British Forces in Afghanistan. In both cases, the units are regularly rotated. Estonia also provides peacekeepers for international missions in both Bosnia and Kosovo and contributes to EU battlegroups and NATO Response Force rotations.

Military and peacekeeping operations

ee also

*Estonia
*NATO
*European Union
*Nordic Battle Group
*Lahingpaar ( _en. Fire and maneuver team)
*Salk ( _en. Fireteam)
*Jagu ( _en. Squad)
*Rühm ( _en. Platoon)
*Kompanii ( _en. Company)
*Pataljon ( _en. Battalion)
*Malev
*Brigaad ( _en. Brigade)
*Diviis ( _en. Division)

Notes

External links

* [http://www.mil.ee/index_eng.php Estonian Defence Forces]
* [http://www.mod.gov.ee/index.php?setlang=eng Estonian Ministry of Defence]
* [http://www.teabeamet.ee Military Intelligence]
* [http://www.kra.ee Defence Resources Agency]
* [http://www.scoutspataljon.ee Estonian Scouts Battalion]
* [http://www.rok.ee Peace Operations Center]
* [http://www.vahipataljon.ee Estonian Guard Battalion]
* [http://www.lttvok.mil.ee Estonian Quartermaster Battalion]
* [http://www.parnupat.ee Estonian Pärnu Battalion]
* [http://www.side.mil.ee Estonian Signal Battalion]
* [http://www.orkester.mil.ee Estonian Defence Forces Orchestra]
* [http://www.erok.ee Reserve Officers Association of Estonia]
* [http://www.mil.ee/kevadtorm Annual military exercise "Spring Storm"]
* [http://www.slk.ee Army Parachuting Club]
* [http://www.kaitseliit.ee Estonian Defence League]