The United Kingdom has designated a brigade for the defence of Estonia and will send Challenger 3 tanks to the country.
On 17 October in Brussels, on the sidelines of the NATO defence ministers’ meeting, the Estonian defence minister, Hanno Pevkur, and the UK’s defence secretary, John Healey, signed a bilateral defence roadmap that outlines the joint commitment of Estonia and the United Kingdom in the coming years and long-term efforts to strengthen the forward defence of Estonia and NATO’s Eastern Flank.
“Close defence cooperation between Estonia and the United Kingdom is becoming increasingly concrete. The roadmap we signed today stems from the NATO regional plans. One of its key aspects is the long-term commitment that the United Kingdom will assign the 4th Brigade as a reinforcement for Estonia. This brigade will be maintained at high readiness in the UK to reinforce Estonia in times of crisis and conflict,” Pevkur said in a statement.
Under the agreement, the UK will deploy its newest and most modern combat equipment to Estonia, including Archer self-propelled howitzers, Boxer and Ajax armored personnel carriers, and Challenger 3 tanks.
The UK keeps a battle group in Estonia
In addition to the reinforcement brigade, the UK maintains a permanently stationed armored battle group in Estonia, which has been part of the 1st Infantry Brigade of the Estonian Defence Forces since 2017.
The UK also supports the development of the Estonian division and its headquarters, providing not only staff officers but also a Deputy Commander, a position held by a British Brigadier General. The UK also advises on the development of Estonia’s deep fire capabilities.
Estonia, on its part, ensures the best possible host nation support for UK troops deployed to Estonia, including necessary infrastructure and logistical support. The roadmap also includes agreements on cooperation in joint procurements and opportunities for defence industry development.
