Maavägi
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| Estonian Ground Force Eesti Maavägi |
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The Maavägi, (English: Ground Forces) 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.
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[edit] 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.
[edit] Units
- Army training centres:
Viru Single Infantry Battalion
Quartermaster Battalion
Kuperjanov Single Infantry Battalion
Pärnu Single Infantry Battalion
Single Guard Battalion
Tapa Training Center
Central Firing Ground
Engineer Battalion
Artillery Group
Air Defence Battalion
Single Signal Battalion
- Professional infantry units:
Scouts Battalion
Peace Operations Centre
[edit] Equipment
Since the restoration of the Estonian Defence Forces on September 3, 1991 the Maavägi has developed with a great deal.[1] 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.
[edit] 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 120 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.
[edit] Military and peacekeeping operations
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
- ^ http://mil.ee/?menu=kaitsevagi&sisu=kvaja1 Eesti Kaitseväe ajalugu
[edit] External links
- Estonian Defence Forces
- Estonian Ministry of Defence
- Military Intelligence
- Defence Resources Agency
- Estonian Scouts Battalion
- Peace Operations Center
- Estonian Guard Battalion
- Estonian Quartermaster Battalion
- Estonian Pärnu Battalion
- Estonian Signal Battalion
- Estonian Defence Forces Orchestra
- Reserve Officers Association of Estonia
- Annual military exercise "Spring Storm"
- Army Parachuting Club
- Estonian Defence League
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