Estonia has taken delivery of nearly 50 new Turkish-made armoured vehicles, marking a major upgrade in both military and civil crisis-response capabilities.
The Estonian Defence Forces and the country’s Rescue Board have received a new fleet of armoured vehicles procured from Turkey, significantly strengthening the Baltic state’s defensive posture and emergency response readiness.
The Estonian Centre for Defence Investments has formally handed over nearly 50 wheeled armoured vehicles to the 2nd Infantry Brigade. The majority of these are 6×6 Otokar Arma vehicles tailored for front-line infantry use, while a smaller number of 4×4 Nurol Makina armoured vehicles will support combat units in both the 1st and 2nd Brigades.
In a move underscoring the growing overlap between military and civil resilience planning, additional 4×4 vehicles have also been delivered to the Estonian Rescue Board. These will primarily serve bomb disposal units but may also be deployed by the Police and Border Guard Board, as well as the Internal Security Service.
Custom-built for Estonia
The procurement followed a competitive tender that saw nine companies from six countries – Finland, France, Spain, Italy, Turkey and Germany – submit bids for the contract. Turkey ultimately secured the deal.
Unlike off-the-shelf systems, the Turkish-built vehicles were designed specifically to meet Estonia’s operational requirements. “These armoured vehicles were developed with the particular needs of the Estonian Defence Forces in mind – both internally and externally,” said Marek Mardo, strategic category manager at the Estonian Centre for Defence Investments. “The machines coming off the Turkish production line are essentially custom-built and ready for immediate use.”
The new vehicles offer enhanced protection against small arms fire, mines, and artillery fragments, while also dramatically improving off-road mobility – an important upgrade over the trucks previously used by the 2nd Infantry Brigade. Each is equipped with a 12.7mm heavy machine gun.
Vehicles set for Hedgehog debut
The first batch of vehicles arrived in Estonia at the end of 2024, with conscripts already undergoing training. They are expected to play a central role in Hedgehog, the country’s largest military exercise, to be held in May. All ordered units are set to arrive by the end of this year.
Four of the 4×4 vehicles will be operated by the Rescue Board’s bomb disposal teams. “In the work of our bomb disposal experts, danger is a constant,” said Margo Klaos, director general of the Estonian Rescue Board. “These armoured vehicles provide protection we’ve never had before – this is a substantial leap forward in our crisis preparedness.”
Procurement contracts have been signed for a ten-year period, allowing Estonia to order additional vehicles and spare parts as needed. The agreements also cover long-term maintenance, repairs and future upgrades.
The choice of a Turkish supplier – despite concerns over the country’s authoritarian government and human rights record – has sparked some ethical debate. Critics argue that, as an EU member, Estonia should favour fellow EU allies over a NATO partner often criticised for democratic backsliding.
Officials dismissed the concern. “Turkey is a very important NATO ally. We do not link our procurements to political questions – except in cases such as Russia, China or North Korea,” a Defence Investments spokesperson told Estonian World. “Estonia excludes only specific countries and acquires the most economically viable and technically capable system that meets tender conditions.”
