Estonia’s military defence forms a part of the integrated military defence system and is primarily based on self-defence and NATO collective defence.

The development of military defence is directed towards the anticipation of military threats and, if applicable, the combating thereof. For this purpose, the capabilities required for military defence are developed and NATO’s collective defence strengthened.

As Estonia is a NATO member state, military defence is ensured by the collective defence principle, aside from activities undertaken on a national level. As an attack against any NATO member state is construed as an attack on NATO as a whole, Estonia, as a NATO member state, shall take measures to prevent and, if applicable, combat such attacks.

Estonia’s initial self-defence capability constitutes a set of military capabilities, which shall support the launching of NATO’s collective defence principles. Estonia as a NATO member state does not have to develop its military capabilities independently; therefore, it is in Estonia’s interests to ensure the necessary capabilities for national defence and deterrent purposes, which are not achievable by Estonia alone, but rather in co-operation with NATO allies.

The initial self-defence capability must, by rapid military response, ensure the military defence of the country and the basic pre-requisites for the implementation of collective defence in a situation where an attack by dominant forces takes place unexpectedly. For that purpose, Estonia shall perform the appropriate training for the Estonian Defence Forces and the Defence League and the institutions and organisations that support their efforts, ensuring the expedient utilisation of resources.

The institutions that are most directly involved in military national defence are the Defence Forces and the Defence League. The main function of the Defence Forces is to ensure the readiness of the state to defend itself by use of military activities. The Defence Forces shall plan and implement a variety of operations, involving the units of all the services.
The functions of the Defence Forces in peace time include the monitoring and controlling of airspace and territorial waters, ensuring a continuous readiness for defence, training of conscripts and preparation of the reserve units, preparation of units and participation in international operations, and assisting civil authorities with eliminating the consequences of natural disasters or catastrophes caused by human activities.

In the event of a crisis or in a time of war, the functions of the Defence Forces include ensuring control in the territory of the state; implementing defence capabilities to prevent aggression; should the latter fail, defending the integrity and sovereignty of the state by all available military means; controlling the airspace of the country and ensuring the air surveillance of strategic objects; controlling naval communications and protecting the entrances to harbours and possible landing zones.

Combination or reservist army and professional defence forces

The operative structure of the Estonian Defence Forces is comprised of units with different levels of readiness, which are formed of professional defence force members, reservists, and members of the Defence league. Reserve units are formed of individuals who have passed the compulsory military services; future regular members of the defence forces, who form a part of units in permanent readiness, are also hired among them.

Units that acquired military training during peacetime and were then assigned to the reserves are the main forces in the operative structure of the Defence Forces. However, the structure of the defence forces also include some units that are fully comprised of professional defence force members and units where only some of the posts are filled by professional defence force members. The largest unit to consist solely of professional defence force members is the Scoutsbattalion, while the Staff of the 1st Infantry Brigade is a unit that only partially consists of regular members of the defence forces.

Commanding the Defence Forces

The Defence Forces are commanded, in peacetime, by the Commander of the Defence Forces, who is subordinate to the Minister of Defence. The Commander of the Defence Forces will be responsible for the defence forces’ readiness to fulfil the functions of the defence forces. The working body of the Commander of the Defence Forces is the General Staff of the Defence Forces, which fulfils the following functions: strategic planning, development of documents, and planning co-operation between different services.

The Defence Forces are divided into services and units with a central command. Estonia has three different services: the army, the navy, and the air forces. Each service has a commander, who is immediately subordinate to the Commander of the Defence Forces. In addition, a voluntary national defence organisation, the Defence League, is also subordinate to the Commander of the Defence Forces.