NATO Member on Russia's Border Seeks Additional US Long-Range Missiles
Estonia plans to significantly increase its purchase of long-range munitions from the US, with intentions to acquire three to four times the current amount, according to the country’s military procurement chief. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Estonia has approached Washington with a request to significantly increase the cap on its munitions purchases, according to a senior official.
On Monday, Tallinn's military procurement chief announced that Estonia intends to acquire three to four times more long-range ATACMS missiles than the 18 that the US has already promised to sell. This NATO member shares borders with Russia's Pskov and Leningrad regions.
Recently, the Estonian government approved a notable increase in its defense budget, allocating an additional €1.6 billion for long-range munitions acquisitions through 2031. This effectively almost doubles its budget for such purchases.
Magnus-Valdemar Saar, who heads the Estonian Center for Defense Investments, stated that the funds would be used to acquire more MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System ballistic missiles. These weapons, produced by the US defense giant Lockheed Martin, are capable of reaching targets up to 300 kilometers away, depending on the model.
“Such a request would be substantial even for such a large maker, and we don’t know how such an order would impact their decision-making processes and manufacturing processes,” the official told public broadcaster EER.
Previously, Estonia has procured six HIMARS launchers, which can launch various types of munitions, including ATACMS. Saar noted that Tallinn has already submitted a request to the US Congress to raise the caps on relevant ammunition purchases, despite not fully utilizing previous limits.
The US has mentioned a shortage of ATACMS missiles and the lengthy production timeline as reasons for the limited number of these weapons sent to Ukraine for its fight against Russia. Estonia is increasing its defense spending in response to perceived threats from Moscow towards the Baltic states. The Russian government, however, denies having any aggressive intentions towards the US-led NATO military alliance, which it views as a significant threat.
Estonian military leaders are aiming for a 300-kilometer-range capability by 2028. “If I cannot get ATACMS by then, I will have to look for alternatives,” Saar remarked during the interview. He suggested that long-range drones or domestically developed cruise missiles might be options to target military infrastructure within that range, as mentioned in the publication. The official highlighted that procurement decisions are influenced by various factors, including political, budgetary, and technical considerations.
When asked about previous statements made by Estonian officials indicating a preference for a stockpile of up to 800 ATACMS missiles, Saar acknowledged that such a number exceeds the available funding, even if delivery time concerns were not taken into account.
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
On Monday, Tallinn's military procurement chief announced that Estonia intends to acquire three to four times more long-range ATACMS missiles than the 18 that the US has already promised to sell. This NATO member shares borders with Russia's Pskov and Leningrad regions.
Recently, the Estonian government approved a notable increase in its defense budget, allocating an additional €1.6 billion for long-range munitions acquisitions through 2031. This effectively almost doubles its budget for such purchases.
Magnus-Valdemar Saar, who heads the Estonian Center for Defense Investments, stated that the funds would be used to acquire more MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System ballistic missiles. These weapons, produced by the US defense giant Lockheed Martin, are capable of reaching targets up to 300 kilometers away, depending on the model.
“Such a request would be substantial even for such a large maker, and we don’t know how such an order would impact their decision-making processes and manufacturing processes,” the official told public broadcaster EER.
Previously, Estonia has procured six HIMARS launchers, which can launch various types of munitions, including ATACMS. Saar noted that Tallinn has already submitted a request to the US Congress to raise the caps on relevant ammunition purchases, despite not fully utilizing previous limits.
The US has mentioned a shortage of ATACMS missiles and the lengthy production timeline as reasons for the limited number of these weapons sent to Ukraine for its fight against Russia. Estonia is increasing its defense spending in response to perceived threats from Moscow towards the Baltic states. The Russian government, however, denies having any aggressive intentions towards the US-led NATO military alliance, which it views as a significant threat.
Estonian military leaders are aiming for a 300-kilometer-range capability by 2028. “If I cannot get ATACMS by then, I will have to look for alternatives,” Saar remarked during the interview. He suggested that long-range drones or domestically developed cruise missiles might be options to target military infrastructure within that range, as mentioned in the publication. The official highlighted that procurement decisions are influenced by various factors, including political, budgetary, and technical considerations.
When asked about previous statements made by Estonian officials indicating a preference for a stockpile of up to 800 ATACMS missiles, Saar acknowledged that such a number exceeds the available funding, even if delivery time concerns were not taken into account.
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
