Estonia’s Defence Forces will host binational combined joint manoeuvres with the German armed forces which will run from October 1 to 27.
Exercise Baltic Tiger 2022 will involve base defence drills with reconnaissance squads, snipers, and lightly armoured infantry forces from the German Air Force Regiment and the Sea Battalion of the German Navy working alongside Estonian Defence Forces.
Eurofighters from NATO’s enhanced Air Policing mission as well as naval security forces and the maritime NBC defence platoon will also participate.
As part of the exercise, a generic scenario at Tallinn harbour and Ämari Air Base will enable combined joint training missions increasing the ability of Estonian and German forces to work together.
The drills reinforce the operational readiness of the Alliance for an Article 5 operation, the defence of territorial integrity of the Allies.
According to German officials, exercise Baltic Tiger reflects Germany’s comprehensive commitment along the eastern flank and the close cooperation and coordination with the Baltic Allies.
German forces have deployed to Estonia from 20 September, with the main force due to arrive on September 29.
Throughout the execution phase of the Baltic Tiger, the participating forces from Estonia and Germany will work towards effectively conducting missions together.
The focus will be on the defence and protection of critical air force and navy infrastructure. Other goals include conducting area surveillance, protecting lines of communications and convoy escorts and operating in an NBC contaminated environment.
At the NATO summit in Madrid in June, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas requested greater focus on denying Russian forces entry into her country in the first place, rather than expecting Estonians to weather an initial ground thrust toward Tallinn while awaiting alliance help under the so-called “tripwire” posture.
“If you compare the size of Ukraine and the Baltic countries, then it would mean a complete destruction of our countries, of our culture,” she said, Bloomberg reported at the time. “Those of you who have been to Tallinn and know our Old Town and the centuries of history and culture that is here, that would all be wiped off from the map, including our people, our nation.”
