Independence Day parade to include K9 Thunder, British and French tanks
Next Thursday, the Independence Day parade taking place in Tallinn's Freedom Square will include British and French tanks and the premiere of K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers in Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) livery.
Participating units will line up in Freedom Square at 11:15 a.m. on the 24th, where the parade, celebrating the 104th anniversary of the establishment of the Republic of Estonia, will begin at 12:00 p.m., the Headquarters of the EDF said.
The parade will be led by Chief of the EDF Lt. Gen. Martin Herem and received by President Alar Karis.
This year's parade will involve over 700 participants and 21 units of equipment; a total of 28 flags, four companies, 12 batteries, 22 platoons and two orchestras.
For the first time, EDF reservists will also be participating in the parade as a unit on foot as well — the 22nd Infantry Battalion of the 2nd Infantry Brigade.
Allies will be represented in the parade with flag units from Belgium, the U.K. and Northern Ireland, as well as British, Northern Irish and French units together with equipment from NATO Battlegroup Estonia. British Challenger and French Leclerc tanks will also be included in the parade.
Weather permitting, a flyover of Estonian and allied aircraft is also planned to take place during the parade, due to which the flying of drones and other craft in the parade zone and surrounding areas will be strictly forbidden.
The EDF is reminding all potential spectators interested in attending the parade to adhere to all safety measures required by the Estonian government in order to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Following the parade, visitors will have the opportunity to get an up-close look at various EDF and allied military equipment in a restricted exhibition area.
Equipment to be on display in the exhibition area will include the EDF's CV9035EE infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) and Sisu XA-188 and XA-180 armored personnel carriers, British, Northern Irish and French battle equipment, the Mistral man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS), a 23 mm anti-aircraft autocannon, the Javelin anti-tank missile system, an armored medical evacuation vehicle (AMEV), the K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer, and an MB Actros 4150K dump truck.
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Editor: Aili Vahtla
