Estonia To Receive First Javelin Anti-Tank Missile System This Week

Estonia will be receiving its first Javelin anti-tank missile system at the end of this week.

“More systems and missiles will arrive in the coming weeks, which can be used for live fire exercises after the training is complete,” Lieutenant Toomas Pärnpuu, who is leading the operation to bring the systems to Estonia was quoted as saying by Estonian Public Broadcasting Thursday.

The training set will also begin in the next week. The first weapons will be delivered to the Viru Infantry Battalion in Jõhvi with the Defense Forces set to be fully equipped and trained by 2018. Some Defense League units will also be equipped with Javelin systems.

Estonia purchased 80 weapons systems with the combined cost with ammunition coming to around 40 million euros. The Estonian Defense Forces currently use MILAN and MAPATS systems, with the Javelin system representing a significant upgrade.

Javelin is a fire-and-forget missile with lock-on before launch and automatic self-guidance. The system takes a top-attack flight profile against armored vehicles (attacking the top armor, which is generally thinner), but can also take a direct-attack mode for use against buildings. This missile also has the ability to engage helicopters in the direct attack mode.