The volunteer Defence
League (Kaitseliit), a citizen-staffed force that complements the Estonia
Defence Forces (EDF), will be the primary Spike SR operator since the systems
will replace 90 mm towed anti-tank guns.
EuroSpike, a joint
venture between German businesses Diehl Defence and Rheinmetall Electronic and
Israeli firm Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, obtained the order from the RKK,
according to Israel Defence.
The procurement is
part of an agreement made in 2019 to equip the Estonian army with 18 spike
launcher systems over seven years.
According to Israel
Defence reports, the launchers were already delivered in 2020, and the
agreement includes the option to acquire more launcher systems.
Spike SR is a
lightweight, shoulder-launched, fire-and-forget anti-tank missile with a
2,000-meter effective range.
The EDF's two infantry
brigades are heavy, mechanised infantry capabilities. In contrast, artillery
capabilities, coastal defences and cyber defence are other essential pillars of
Estonian current defence policy.
