The exercise, which dropped off a Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS), was only the second of its kind to have been conducted by the British Army and the Royal Air Force (RAF), and the first to take place in Estonia.

While in the past U.S. National Guard Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II had landed at Kiltsi Airfield, near Haapsalu, Lääne County, larger transport planes had not – up until now, that is.

Sunday morning saw an Airbus A400M Atlas touch down at Kiltsi, rehearsing the transport of materiel and personnel into Estonia, as part of the Spring Storm (Kevadtorm) large-scale military exercise.

Deputy commander of the Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) Brig. Gen. Andrus Merilo told AK: "This is one way to rapidly deploy forces, but to accomplish this, allies need to be familiar with local conditions."

Minister of Defense Hanno Pevkur (Reform) said: "We have tested out how the runway here can be utilized, while the MLRS is attempting to simulate fire support for the islands."

The U.K.'s ambassador to Estonia, Ross Allen, speaking in Estonian, said: "It is vital to demonstrate that our battlegroup here in Estonia, in Tapa, can be rapidly reinforced, even with a brigade where needed."

The Royal Artillery MLRS system is to remain in Lääne County for the meantime and will take part in Spring Storm's final, alongside the EDF, the volunteer Defense League (Kaitseliit) and allied personnel.

Brig. Gen. Merilo added that various potential transport vectors in bringing reinforcements to Estonia were being rehearsed, with delivery by air one of these.

The A400M Atlas delivered the MLRS system on behalf of the NATO battlegroup stationed in Tapa, while the flight crew quickly moved off the runway and simulated a firing operation once landed.

The U.S.-made M270 MLRS has a mass of around 24 tonnes.

Lt. Christian Hedicker of the British Army said: "This is the second time we've done this, the first being last year during exercises in Great Britain. This is the first time outside Great Britain, in Estonia."

On Saturday, the British 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team conducted a parachute drop at Nurmsi, Järva County, postponed by a day due to weather conditions.

The jump came as part of Exercise Swift Response, a component of Spring Storm and involving troop and equipment deployments of forces from the U.S., France, and Poland, in addition to those from the U.K. and Estonia.

Nurmsi has in the past been used as a mass drop zone.

Kiltsi Airfield, also known as Haapsalu Air Base (Haapsalu lennuväli) is a largely disused Soviet-era military airfield 4 kilometers southwest of the town of Haapsalu.

The original AK segment is here.

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