Preparatory work began in 2020, RKIK comms and radar category manager Priit Soosaar said Tuesday.

"As of today we have been in contact with seven bidders, from several countries," Soosaar said.

The procurement's price tag will be announced in July, following a detailed procurement plan to be drawn up by the RKIK, and initial negotiations will take place involving solutions providers that meet Estonia's requirements.

The systems when in place will provide anti-aircraft capabilities, and to some extent anti-missile defense shield options too, while the procurement is part of hundreds of millions of euros of defense spend in Estonia, to be joined by armored tracked vehicles to bring the Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) 2nd Infantry Brigade up to scratch as a mechanized infantry brigade – just as the 1st Infantry Brigade is, as well as infrastructure, ammunition, sea mines and more.

Projected scenarios would see air defense helping to provide an umbrella EDF reserve units' mobilization, and for the arrival of further NATO reinforcements in Estonia via land, sea and air.

The coalition partners, Reform and Center, agreed on an additional €600 million defense funding package, to include the mid-range air defense systems, while a Finnish unit equipped with one possible solution, the Norwegian-made National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS), was on exercise in Estonia back in March.

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