Estonia and Latvia are taking a step forward in their defense capabilities by jointly procuring medium-range air defense systems. This move highlights the importance these neighboring countries place on ensuring their security and the effectiveness of their air defense. The procurement process will be based purely on the price and capabilities of the systems, which will be determined by the most economically advantageous and technically capable system in the market.
Soldatnytt from Oslo, Norway, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
With six bidders in the second round, the procurement is well underway and a decision is expected to be made by spring. Russia, Belarus, and North Korea have been excluded from the list of potential bidders. Both countries aim to acquire the best system for their defense needs and will evaluate the contest based solely on the technical capabilities and economic viability of the air defense systems.
Estonia believes it can receive the medium-range air defense system, which has a range of 20-75 kilometers, in three years time. Funds to buy the system were allocated in September last year.
Nearby Baltic state Lithuania has already acquired the NASAMS-3 (Norwegian Advanced Surface to Air Missile System) batteries in 2020.
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