The measure is aimed at companies developing novel and technology-intensive products or services for export markets, the ministry said in a press release. The total amount to be divided between at least two projects is €400,000.

"I expect active participation," said Kusti Salm, director of the ministry's Defence Investments Department. "I expect new success stories from Estonian defense industry companies."

Salm, who is also head of the project evaluation committee, said that the program of development support for defense industry companies, which has lasted five years, has produced several significant developmental leaps in the Estonian defense industry.

The three biggest success stories, according to the ministry official, are the unmanned tracked vehicle by Milrem, toward which there is great interest on the U.S. and Middle Eastern markets, the Threod Systems autopilot for small drones, and the backpack version of a multirotor drone developed by ELI, which will soon be introduced in the guarding of the Estonian border and is competing with well-known rivals in EU member state procurement tenders.

The Ministry of Defence will sign a development support agreement with the winners of the competition which entails the possibilty to test and develop the product or service with the Estonian Defence Forces (EDF).