In peacetime, the Estonian Defence Forces is led by the Commander of the Defence Forces, who is also responsible for the forces’ readiness to discharge its functions. In wartime,
full command is exercised by the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, who is assigned to the office by the President of the Republic. The working body of the Commander of the Defence Forces is the General Staff of the Defence Forces, which is responsible for strategic planning, the development of guiding documents and planning co-operation between
the services.

Structure-wise, the Estonian Defence Forces is divided into the services plus four Defence Districts (Northern, North-Eastern, Western and Southern Defence Districts), the staff
and units of which are directly within the responsibility of the Commander of the Defence Forces. The Defence League is also subordinate to the Commander of the Defence
Forces. The main duties of the Estonian Defence Forces are divided between tasks in peacetime and wartime or crisis.

In peacetime, the main tasks of the Estonian Defence Forces include the following:
•  to perform surveillance and maintain control over airspace and territorial waters,
•  to keep permanent readiness of forces,
•  to train conscripts and develop reserve units,
•  to prepare the units and participate in international operations,
•  to provide assistance to civil authorities in the event of a national emergency (natural disaster, catastrophe, etc.).

In wartime or in a crisis, the main tasks of the Estonian Defence Forces include the following:
•  to defend the territorial integrity of the state,
•  to employ defence capabilities to prevent aggression,
•  to protect the sovereignty and integrity of the state by employing all available military means,
•  to maintain control over national airspace and facilitate
   the air defence of strategic assets,
•  to exercise control over maritime communications and defend access to harbours and possible landing zones.

The Army represents the largest service of the Estonian Defence Forces and has 12 units or Training Centres (TC), in total. The main function of the TCs is to train reserve units
on the basis of conscripts. The largest TCs are the Combat

Support Training Centre in Tapa and the Kuperjanov Infantry Battalion in Võru. Both the Peace Operations Centre (POC) and the Scouts Battalion are located in Paldiski. The POC
engages in the training of the units that are sent on international operations. The Scouts Battalion is 100% comprised of professional soldiers.

The Estonian Navy is responsible for protecting the territorial waters of the Republic of Estonia as well as mine countermeasures. The units of the Navy are the Navy Staff, Tallinn Naval Base, the Mine Countermeasures Squadron and the Baltic Naval Squadron (BALTRON). The Naval Base also commands the Naval School and a Divers Group, which operates as a part of the Mine Countermeasures Squadron.

The Estonian Air Force consists of three units: Air Force Staff, Ämari Airbase and Air Surveillance Wing. The main task of the Airbase is to serve and support Estonian and
ally aircraft. The main task of the Air Surveillance Wing is to ensure control of Estonia’s airspace.

The main tasks of the Defence District headquarters are to ensure operative planning and preparation of the activities of the operative structural units, subordinate to the Commander of the Defence District concerned.

Defence League

The Defence League is a voluntary military national defence organisation, which acts in the area of government of the Ministry of Defence. The Defence League possesses arms
and engages in military exercises.

The main goal of the Defence League is, on the basis of the citizens’ free will and initiative, to enhance the readiness of the nation to defend its independence and its constitutional
order, including in the event of military threat. The organisation is divided into 15 Defence League regional units whose  areas of responsibility mostly coincide with the borders of
Estonia’s counties. Today, the Defence League has over 10,000 members. The affi liated organisations of the Defence League combine more than 19,000 volunteers, in all, and
include the Estonian Defence League’s women’s corps Naiskodukaitse, the Estonian Defence League’s boys’ corps Noored Kotkad, and the Estonian Defence League’s girls’ corps
Kodutütred.

The Defence League plays an important role in supporting the civil structures. Its members aid in putting out wildfi res, volunteer as assistant police members, and ensure safety at
various events. Units, consisting of voluntary members of the Defence League, also participate in international peace support operations such as in the Balkan states. The Defence League and its affi liated organisations have positive relations with partner organisations in the Nordic countries, the United States and the United Kingdom.

The main functions of the women’s corps include the following:
•  to assist the Defence League in defending the indepen-dence of Estonia and its constitutional order, to ensure the safety of its citizens, and to discharge any other
functions;
•  to organise and ensure the medical and rear services of the Defence League in co-operation with the regional units;
•  to promote the ideals of the Defence League and national feelings;
•  to participate in organising the social life of the Defence League.

The Defence League’s women’s corps also co-operates with  other organisations and associations, including the Police Board, the Rescue Board, the Erna Society, the Society for
Civil Protection and local governments

The Defence League’s girls’ corps was established to increase patriotic feelings and readiness to defend the independence of Estonia among young girls; to enhance the love for home
and fatherland; to encourage respect for the Estonian language and ways of thinking; to be honest, enterprising, responsible, and capable of decision-making; to respect
nature; and to respect one’s parents and others.

The Defence League’s boys’ corps comprises approximately 3,500 young men from all over Estonia. The objective of the organisation is to raise these young people as good citizens
with healthy bodies and minds. In addition to numerous interesting activities, such as parachute jumping, fl ying gliders, orienteering, shooting weapons, etc., the boys’ corps also
participates in numerous events, the most popular but also the most diffi cult being the Mini-Erna 35 km reconnaissance competition.