Forum: Air Power

Estonia is a tiny NATO country who has border with Russia, Finland and Latvia. 1.4M people, army: 5000 regulars, 45 000 reserve. Little armour. Country has a size of two times larger than Israel - some 45 000 km2. Russians constantly violate Russian air space (checking NATO response).

Estonian air space is controlled by one modern land-based mobile Lockheed-Martin AN/TPS-117 radar and NATO aircraft on Lithuania (operation Baltic Air Policing) stand on QRA and patrol in airspace. Other NATO nations pay the costs.

Currently NATO insists for continuing "free on charge" air defence.

Landbase air defence forces have some 100 23 mm AAA guns, Mistral short range missiles and Ericson (probably Giraffe) radars are in order and are due to arrive 2008-2010.

Annual national defence budget is around $ 400 million.

One military airbase which will be renovated by 2011 (one some 9000 ft runway).

Estonian Air Force currently has 2 leased L-39C Albatros trainers, some light helicopters and An-2 transport biplanes.

Sooner or later finishes its mission and Estonia needs to go for own force.

Which aircraft to choose?

Finland is operationg F-18C Hornets, Sweden has Jas-39 Gripens, Poland purchased lately F-16C block 52.

Airplanes should maybe be operational by 2018.

Fire away!

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Gripen,
it's cheap, performant and gives good relationship in Europe.
And it's possible to lease them.

I read somewhere that Estonia once "intercepted" a Russian incursion with a cargo plane of some kind? Amazing!
I second twouan, the Gripen is a good choice. If the budget can`t stretch to that, the Hawk 128 or similar armed trainer could do the job.

The question is numbers and capability needed. What role do you want for your airforce given that Estonia is a small NATO member? Co-operation on possible force structure should be done with NATO from the outset so you don`t waste finite resources, I would have thought.

MiG's- watch out -Estonian Air Force L-39's on GCI mission Smile

Hey EstAF, do you think Estonia can afford F-16`s Gripens and such? If you are only leasing two trainers it would seem not?

Now, if you can load 4 Meteors and a couple AMRAAM on your L-39`s those MIGS had BETTER watch out! Laughing

Another idea; perhaps L-159 or re-start the Hawk 200 line but fit a Amraam/Meteor capable radar (current one is a deretive of the F-16 ADF radar pre-amraam).

That would make a fine GCI aircraft.

Andy

Active Member Joined: Mar 14, 2007 - 11:44 PM Posts: 155

Albatros is a good pick for air police and training pilots and crews maybe after a few years you could buy some more adwanced jets.
What aircraft is Latvia buying ?

I'd have to agree with the Gripen on this one as well. They are relatively inexpensive and they definately are capable.

Mike

Forum: Air Power

Estonian air force - which aircraft?