Estonia in NATO operations
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Since Estonia joined NATO in 2004, Estonia has participated in many joint military operations using its Estonian Defence Forces.[1] Estonia has also participated in NATO-led military and peacekeeping operations before 2004.
1990-1999
[edit]- Bosnia and Herzegovina (1995-2004)
- Implementation Force (1995-1996), 1 year joint military peacekeeping enforcement led by NATO during the Bosnian War in the Yugoslav Wars.
- Stabilization Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1995-2004), Joint military peacekeeping mission led by NATO after the Bosnian War.[2]
- BALTOPS (1990s-present), Annual military exercise since the 1980's in the Baltic Sea, Estonia has participated in the exercises since the 1990s.[3]
2000-2009
[edit]
Estonian Troops in Afghanistan clearing IEDs - Estonian Iraqi Contingent (2003-2008), Joint military force of the Estonian Defence Forces deployed in Iraq during the Iraq War mostly in the Baghdad Governorate in the Sab-al-Bori area[4]
- NATO Training Mission - Iraq (2004–present)
- Afghanistan (2003-2008)
- Estonian Afghanistan Contingent (2003-2008), Joint military force of the Estonian Defence Forces deployed in Afghanistan during the War In Afghanistan. The units are under the allegiance of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)
- Kosovo (2003-present)
- Estonian Kosovo Contingent (Alternatively 'Kosovo Contingent')(2003–present), joint military force of the Estonian Defence Forces deployed in Kosovo during Operation Joint Interprise (Commonly "Kosovo Force")
- Bosnia and Herzegovina (2005-2007)
- ESTGUARD 1-3 (2005-2007), Estonian soldiers were stationed near Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina at Camp Eagle.[5]
- Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (2008–present), international mission to enhance cyber defence in NATO, which is headquartered in Tallinn, Estonia.[6]
2010-2019
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- Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (2008–present)
- Locked Shields (2010-present), annual cyber defence exercise between 1-30 April in Tallinn, Estonia.[7]
- Admiral Pitka Recon Challenge (2013-present), annual military exercise in Estonia. Common participants are NATO nations.[8][9]
- Operation Atlantic Resolve (2014-2018), military exercise conducted in response to the War in Donbas throughout Central and Eastern Europe.[10]
- Afghanistan (2015-2021)
- Resolute Support Mission (2015-2021), 45 troops from the Estonian Defense Forces were sent to Afghanistan and were withdrawn in 2021.[11]
- NATO Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) (2016–present), a constant military force in 8 European countries. There is ~2000 troops from different NATO countries in Tapa, Estonia.[12][13]
- Sahel region of Africa (2018-2022)
- Operation Barkhane (2018–2022[14]), anti-insurgent operation led by France against Islamic extremism, Estonia has provided ~90 soldiers of mechanized and Special forces units.[15][2]
2020-present
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- NATO Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) (2016–present)
- Spring Storm (May 2021), a large-scale exercise containing ~14,000 troops from eFP-participating countries in Estonia from 11 May to 31 May.[7]
- Ramstein Alloy (2021), a series of exercises in the Baltic States which simulates Article 5 scenarios and cooperation with Finland and Sweden.[7]
- Wisent (2021–2022), a Polish-Estonian joint operation.
- Wisent 1 (December 2021), Estonian military unit, with around 70 troops, arrived in Poland, the unit and the 18th Infantry Division of Poland helped clean up and block/defend the border area due to the Belarusian border crisis.[16][17]
- Wisent 2, fortifications and defenses were constructed along the border with Belarus.
- Wisent 3 (February 2022), The joint operation had continued with 60 troops which built barriers on the border, and built around 40 km (~25 mi) of border protection due to de-escalation of tensions in Ukraine.[18]
- Wisent 4 (April 2022), The Estonian and Polish troops concluded deployment with ceremony for Katyn victims.[19]
- Wisent 5 (April 2022), The joint-operative troops made 4 bridges, and the Polish guard started to patrol the border, and the group have improved road infrastructure along around 10km (~6 mi) of the road.[20]
- Operation Inherent Resolve (2023-present), a military operation in Iraq and Syria led by the United States/NATO since 2014. Estonia has participated since 2023.[2][21]
- Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (2008–present)
- Cyber Coalition (2023), cyber defence exercise in Tallinn, Estonia with 28 participating NATO countries and 7 non-NATO countries.[22]
References
[edit]- ^ "SHAPE | Estonia". NATO.
- ^ a b c "Operations abroad". Estonian Defence Forces. Retrieved 2022-05-05.
- ^ "Carrier Strike Group 12 Prepares for BALTOPS 2008". NNS080602-20. Carrier Strike Group 12 Public Affairs. 2 June 2008. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
- ^ "Rahvusvaheline kaitsealane koostöö" (in Estonian). Archived from the original on 26 April 2009.
- ^ "ESTGUARD-1 lendab Bosnia-Hertsegoviina Vabariiki". Kaitsevägi (in Estonian). 2005-12-08. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
- ^ Pihlak, Harle (2018-10-16). "NATO CCDCOE - Expertise and cooperation make our cyber space safer". e-Estonia. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
- ^ a b c Key NATO and Allied exercises in 2021
- ^ "NATO allies unite for Pitka Challenge 2015". Estonian World. 2015-08-11. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
- ^ ERR (2013-03-26). "Erna Raid Renamed After Admiral Pitka". ERR. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
- ^ Atlantic Resolve builds readiness, increases interoperability and enhances the bonds between ally and partner militaries with multinational training events in Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Romania.
- ^ ERR, ERR, ERR News | (2021-06-02). "Gallery: Kabul ceremony marks end of Estonia's 18-year Afghanistan presence". ERR. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "NATO's Forward Presence" (PDF). NATO.
- ^ "NATO war game defends Baltic weak spot for first time". www.euractiv.com. 2017-06-19. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
- ^ "France, European allies announce military withdrawal from Mali". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
- ^ Kelly, Fergus (2019-11-08). "Estonia parliament approves Mali troop increase for Operation Barkhane". The Defense Post. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
- ^ ERR, Ester Vilgats | (2022-01-15). "Kaitseliitlaste üksus Lääne-Eestist suundus Poola". ERR (in Estonian). Retrieved 2022-05-04.
- ^ ERR, Ester Vilgats, Pärnu | (2022-02-11). "Poola piirile läheb juba kolmas Eesti sõjaväelaste üksus". ERR (in Estonian). Retrieved 2022-05-04.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Estonian Defence Forces' new task force Wisent 3 started operating in Poland". Estonian Defence Forces. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
- ^ "Estonian task force unit in Poland concludes deployment with ceremony for Katyn victims". baltictimes.com. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
- ^ "Estonia's Wisent task force builds 4 bridges for border protection in Poland". www.baltictimes.com. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
- ^ ERR (2023-05-01). "EDF unit takes over Operation Inherent Resolve duties in Iraq". ERR. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
- ^ NATO. "NATO's flagship cyber exercise concludes in Estonia". NATO. Retrieved 2023-12-12.