Ministry of Defense Permanent Secretary Kusti Salm announced his resignation on Wednesday saying the government was refusing to buy critical ammunition worth €1.6 billion. Officials said they were unaware or that they did not have detailed enough information. But Herem said both he and Salm had made their views clear to the government.

Herem's 20-page briefing, seen by ERR, states the EDF is shifting its development from close combat to deep combat, which would give Estonia the ability to destroy the enemy from further away. The general said this means it would be possible to prevent or at least minimize loss of life and destruction on Estonian soil. But new ammunition is needed to make this change.

The briefing contains advice from the general and a more precise methodology for calculating the cost of additional ammunition.

The sums are based on data about Russian units located behind the Estonian border that could participate in a possible attack. It takes into account their size and the weapons at their disposal. Herem also outlines which weapon systems can be used to destroy enemy units and weapons.

Close combat weapons, which Estonia already has such as machine guns, Javelin anti-tank missiles or short-range air defense systems Mistral and Piorun, can be used to destroy troops, armored personnel carriers, tanks, and simpler air-to-air missiles. But, for example, rocket launchers, various types of missiles, aircraft, helicopters, ships, artillery systems, indirect fire radars and command and control points need to be hit from further away.

In recent years the state has also purchased equipment with a longer range, such as HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, Blue Spear anti-ship missiles, and K9 self-propelled howitzers, whose range extends to 40 kilometers.

The briefing says different ammunition (ATACMS) for HIMARS multiple rocket launchers already in Estonia's arsenal, with a range of 70 to 300 kilometers, anti-ship cruise missiles, IRIS-T medium-range air defense and the Mini-Harpy anti-ship cruise missile should be used in deep combat.

Herem also gave an overview of the expected quantities of ammunition needed to destroy a sufficient number of enemy targets from a distance and the price. 

He writes that more than 800 ATACMS long-range missiles, almost 500 smaller GMLRS missiles, more than 25,000 artillery shells, and over a thousand precision shells would be needed to crush the first wave of a Russian attack.

According to his calculations, the price of the ATACMS missiles alone would be over €2 billion and the total €4 billion. However, as Estonia already has plans to buy some of these items, the total would be approximately €3.2 billion.

Herem and outgoing Permanent Secretary Kusti Salm requested €1.6 billion to buy additional ammunition.

The briefing says the money needed to make such purchases will not be available until 2027. The general calculated that €700 million should be allocated in both 2025 and 2026 which should gradually fall to €250 million in 2032.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!