UK's Royal Air Force Chinook helicopters return to Estonia
British Chinook helicopters were on display at Ämari Air Base on Tuesday and will be integrated into military exercises over the coming weeks.
The aircraft returned to Estonia as part of the Aviation Task Force agreed to by UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace last November. The helicopters took part in NATO exercises last summer.
"The arrival of these helicopters is in accordance with the roadmap we agreed on with the UK in November last year. Later, Typhoons will be here as well as Apaches. This is exactly what we need to do together," Pevkur said in a statement.
Chinooks (CH-47) are primarily used to transport troops and equipment.
They can provide defensive fire support in the form of two 7.62mm M134 mini guns and one 7.62mm M60D machine gun.
Commanding Officer, 18 Squadron, British Aviation Task Force, Wing Commander Tom Carter said: "We are here to operate with Estonian Defence Forces and European allies. This is a highly versatile aircraft, offering enormous agility which enables us to move large volumes of people and equipment around the battlespace."
The helicopters will be integrated into multinational exercises giving pilots and crews the opportunity to practice air-land integration.
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Editor: Helen Wright
