Recently, Estonia and Latvia have jointly signed a monumental defense agreement with German arms manufacturer Diehl. The joint deal, valued at approximately 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion), is set to acquire the cutting-edge IRIS-T SLM (medium-range) air defense system.

This unprecedented development underscores the pressing need for enhanced air defense capabilities in the Baltic region, a concern magnified by recent geopolitical events, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

A Historic Defense Investment

Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur celebrated the momentous occasion, stating:

“This is by far the biggest defense investment in Estonian history. Together with Latvia, almost 1 billion for their company is something we don’t see every day.”