Estonian Independence Day Parade, February 24th 2006

[Lazarou]

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/4784/estonia0eh.gif (http://imageshack.us)

http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/9541/map9dq.th.gif (http://img109.imageshack.us/my.php?image=map9dq.gif)

After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1940, it regained its freedom in 1991, with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in 1994, Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties with Western Europe. It joined both NATO and the EU in the spring of 2004.

Source: CIA World Factbook

The following photos are from the February 24th military parade when Estonia celebrated its 88th Independence Day.

http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/9696/21cz.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
An MAN 4520 truck towing a 155 mm FH-70 A1 howitzer.

http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/2769/53tx.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/9845/40xy1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Estonia bought 60 used Sisu XA-180 APCs from Finland in 2004.

http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/1907/686ta.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The XA-180s are armed with 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine guns.

http://img160.imageshack.us/img160/2963/961bc.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
MAN-something towing a 120 mm mortar

http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/8817/969nj.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/515/8789du.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Mercedes-Benz 250 GD

http://img113.imageshack.us/img113/8186/098658jh.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
A Mercedes-Benz Unimog towing a Swedish-made Pvpj 1110 recoilless anti-tank gun

http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/7742/8755ja.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/4030/8964gl.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Galil AR assault rifles

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/2430/31di1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The United States donated 40 000 M-14 rifles to Estonia in the 90's.

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/2237/6575ej.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img160.imageshack.us/img160/5528/708ue.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img106.imageshack.us/img106/2318/7601ty.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img114.imageshack.us/img114/2452/0877nx.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
The commander of the Estonian Defence Forces, Vice Admiral Tarmo Kõuts, and the country's president, Arnold Rüütel inspecting the troops.

http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/641/8767jf.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img112.imageshack.us/img112/7655/0901zc.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Another FH-70 A1 howitzer

http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/6868/7658506qp.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
A 120 mm mortar. Propably Swedish-made, based on Finnish Tampella design.

http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/7176/843au.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Assembling...

http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/5269/19ke1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
...a Milan ATGM. The soldier's sidearm is a Makarov PM.

Source: www.mil.ee

[joka]

Happy birthday Estonia :)

[S.H.P.D]

Happy birthday Estonia ！！！！

[Snoshi]

Nice pics but the equipment aint that impressive

[MalteseFalcon]

Nice pictures, when is Russia coming back ;)

[Lazarou]

Nice pics but the equipment aint that impressive

Well what do you expect from a small country that regained its independence 15 years ago and had to start from a scratch? Estonia's national defence relies on NATO, but the country is slowly rebuilding it's own defence forces. As you can see from the photos, they're concentrating on light infantry right now. Heavier equipment will come later if they need it.

[Snoshi]

I like how those people look at that howitzer with an :0 face :D

[Hukatus]

more pictures:
gallery number one (http://www.mil.ee/~fotek/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=album104&page=1) and number two (http://www.mil.ee/~fotek/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=album103&page=1)

[MalteseFalcon]

Well not bad for a ex soviet nation, aslong as u guys don't sell nukes to terrorist and steal gas (not looking at anyone Ukranie) then i wish your nation the best for the furture

[moughoun]

any Estonia sf photos?

[Sorbas2000]

not bad for a small country. but from my point of view it's nothing special...estonia seems to be spezialized into receiving gifts: ...presented by Finland, presented by Germany, presented by Sweden, presented by the US...

On a parade it looks nice to show some XA-180 and a handful soldiers with presented Galil and some MB-250 Wolf. but it seems that all is depending on donations.

[Cygnus]

Nice pics but the equipment aint that impressive

Great pics, compared to my countries armed forces... They are better equipt c",)

[sp2c]

not bad for a small country. but from my point of view it's nothing special...estonia seems to be spezialized into receiving gifts: ...presented by Finland, presented by Germany, presented by Sweden, presented by the US...

On a parade it looks nice to show some XA-180 and a handful soldiers with presented Galil and some MB-250 Wolf. but it seems that all is depending on donations.
yeah they don't really have much cash at this point, I think they look fine judging from where they come from

imo the baltic states need a mutual defence policy so they can share parts and place bigger orders

[Hydro]

The equipment is fine as long as it works. Estonia gets it for free, everyone else pays millions for the same stuff. FH70 heavy guns, 120mm mortars, M14 rifles...All those weapons are still effective, and for the price, who's laughing now?

[Lazarou]

estonia seems to be spezialized into receiving gifts: ...presented by Finland, presented by Germany, presented by Sweden, presented by the US...


but it seems that all is depending on donations.

That was in the 90's, it's a bit different now. Estonia has to pay for its equipment like everyone else, the purchase of the Sisus is a good example.

And as I said, Estonia had to start from scratch. Almost all of the Soviet equipment stationed there became Russia's property when the sh*t fell apart. Estonia has had some hard times in the past, it's logical that it's allies were willing to give a helping hand. That's what friends are for.
And Estonia is doing very well now, it has become a model of economic transformation for all former Soviet republics. There will propably be some bigger arms deals in the near future.


any Estonia sf photos?

They're hard to find.

If anyone has any photos of the Kuperjanov Single Infantry Battalion, please post them.

http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/6673/kuperjanov0nw.jpg

[SAPPEROIF]

And all this time people thought Paulie Shore was making up the name of the country in "Encino Man"

[Hukatus]

If anyone has any photos of the Kuperjanov Single Infantry Battalion, please post them.
http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/6673/kuperjanov0nw.jpg
i wouldnt call Kuperjanov Single Infantry Battalion a special unit because it is based on training recruits.
Scouts batallion is the only unit concisting only of professional soldiers
http://www.scoutspataljon.ee/
soldiers from Scouts batallion take part of the peace keeping missions in iraq, afganistan and kosovo.
the unit holds up quite high readyness according to nato standards and belongs to nato quick reaction force.
some images can be found here - http://www.scoutspataljon.ee/index.php?option=com_zoom&Itemid=40

[Blackbeard]

any Estonia sf photos?
http://www.mil.ee/~fotek/gallery/pildid/sardiv2004/agy.sized.jpg

http://www.mil.ee/~fotek/gallery/pildid/sardiv2004/akh.sized.jpg

http://www.mil.ee/~fotek/gallery/pildid/sardiv2004/aki.sized.jpg

http://www.mil.ee/merevagi/pildid/pildid/album192/acn.sized.jpg

http://www.mil.ee/merevagi/pildid/pildid/album192/aco.sized.jpg

http://www.mil.ee/~fotek/gallery/pildid/sardiv2004/ahn.sized.jpg

http://www.mil.ee/~fotek/gallery/pildid/sardiv2004/aka.sized.jpg

[jerka71_1]

Nice pics!

[Lazarou]

i wouldnt call Kuperjanov Single Infantry Battalion a special unit

I agree, it's not SF. However, it is an "elite" unit just like the Scout Battalion.


because it is based on training recruits.

You mean conscripts? Many countries have conscripts in their special forces.

[Hukatus]

Blackbeard, the pictures you posted show members of K-Komando special team, under the command of Defence Police(Kaitsepolitsei), so this is police unit not military but it has little difference, nice pictures anyway.

[Blackbeard]

Do you know others estonian Special teams?

[Hukatus]

Do you know others estonian Special teams?
i think thats pretty much all we have, for a very small country thats prety much all we need.
for prisions there is special anti riot unit, but it is formed only when needed and some times for training and practice, when it's inactive all the members have their usual jobs as prision guards prision directors or whatever job they have in prisioning system.
military police also complects a small team from their personnel for special tasks when needed, like guarding and protecting the visits of VIP's.

[ElHombre]

nice pics all around.

hey. are english-speakers supposed to be calling estonia 'estland' yet? ;-)

[Hukatus]

nice pics all around.

hey. are english-speakers supposed to be calling estonia 'estland' yet? ;-)umm why? estonia is for international use.
estland is in german.

[Resurrection]

estland is in german.

And Swedish. Great pics and happy birthday Estonia! :)

[ElHombre]

umm why? estonia is for international use.
estland is in german.

just a little something i recall reading in the papers a long while back. something along the lines that people wanted to be identified more with northern europe than with eastern europe, IIRC.

[cinoeye]

Nice photos. We don't see too many military parades this days.