Estonia in NATO operations

Estonian Ambassador to NATO Kyllike Sillaste-Elling and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg shaking hands

Since Estonia joined NATO in 2004, Estonia has participated in many joint military operations using its Estonian Defence Forces. ^[1] Estonia has also participated in NATO-led military and peacekeeping operations before 2004.

1990–1999

• Bosnia and Herzegovina (1995–2004)
  • Implementation Force (1995–1996), 1 year joint military peacekeeping enforcement led by NATO during the Bosnian War in the Yugoslav Wars.
  • Stabilization Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1995–2004), Joint military peacekeeping mission led by NATO after the Bosnian War. ^[2]
• BALTOPS (1990s-present), Annual military exercise since the 1980s in the Baltic Sea, Estonia has participated in the exercises since the 1990s. ^[3]

2000–2009

Estonian soldiers walking in Iraq armed with IMI Galil rifles (2005)

Estonian Troops in Afghanistan clearing IEDs

• Iraq
  • Estonian Iraqi Contingent (2003–2008), Joint military force of the Estonian Defence Forces deployed in Iraq during the Iraq War mostly in the Baghdad Governorate in the Sab-al-Bori area ^[4]
  • NATO Training Mission – Iraq (2004–present)
• Afghanistan (2003–2008)
  • Estonian Afghanistan Contingent (2003–2008), Joint military force of the Estonian Defence Forces deployed in Afghanistan during the War In Afghanistan. The units are under the allegiance of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)
• Kosovo (2003–present)
  • Estonian Kosovo Contingent (Alternatively 'Kosovo Contingent')(2003–present), joint military force of the Estonian Defence Forces deployed in Kosovo during Operation Joint Interprise (Commonly "Kosovo Force")
• Bosnia and Herzegovina (2005–2007)
  • ESTGUARD 1-3 (2005–2007), Estonian soldiers were stationed near Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina at Camp Eagle. ^[5]
• Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (2008–present), international mission to enhance cyber defence in NATO, which is headquartered in Tallinn, Estonia. ^[6]

2010–2019

Photo of the Admiral Pitka Recon Challenge in 2022

British troops exercise in Estonia as part of NATOs eFP program

• Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (2008–present)
  • Locked Shields (2010–present), annual cyber defence exercise between 1 and 30 April in Tallinn, Estonia. ^[7]
• Admiral Pitka Recon Challenge (2013–present), annual military exercise in Estonia. Common participants are NATO nations. ^{[8] [9]}
• Operation Atlantic Resolve (2014–2018), military exercise conducted in response to the War in Donbas throughout Central and Eastern Europe. ^[10]
• Afghanistan (2015–2021)
  • Resolute Support Mission (2015–2021), 45 troops from the Estonian Defense Forces were sent to Afghanistan and were withdrawn in 2021. ^[11]
• NATO Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) (2016–present), a constant military force in 8 European countries. There is ~2000 troops from different NATO countries in Tapa, Estonia. ^{[12] [13]}
• Sahel region of Africa (2018–2022)
  • Operation Barkhane (2018–2022 ^[14] ), anti-insurgent operation led by France against Islamic extremism, Estonia has provided ~90 soldiers of mechanized and Special forces units. ^{[15] [2]}

2020–present

Members of the Wisent Task force 2 setting up barbed wire fences

• NATO Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) (2016–present)
  • Spring Storm (May 2021), a large-scale exercise containing ~14,000 troops from eFP-participating countries in Estonia from 11 May to 31 May. ^[7]

• Ramstein Alloy (2021), a series of exercises in the Baltic States which simulates Article 5 scenarios and cooperation with Finland and Sweden. ^[7]

• Wisent (2021–2022), a Polish-Estonian joint operation.
  • Wisent 1 (December 2021), Estonian military unit, with around 70 troops, arrived in Poland, the unit and the 18th Infantry Division of Poland helped clean up and block/defend the border area due to the Belarusian border crisis. ^{[16] [17]}
  • Wisent 2, fortifications and defenses were constructed along the border with Belarus.
  • Wisent 3 (February 2022), The joint operation had continued with 60 troops which built barriers on the border, and built around 40 km (~25 mi) of border protection due to de-escalation of tensions in Ukraine. ^[18]
  • Wisent 4 (April 2022), The Estonian and Polish troops concluded deployment with ceremony for Katyn victims. ^[19]
  • Wisent 5 (April 2022), The joint-operative troops made 4 bridges, and the Polish guard started to patrol the border, and the group have improved road infrastructure along around 10 km (~6 mi) of the road. ^[20]

• Operation Inherent Resolve (2023–present), a military operation in Iraq and Syria led by the United States (with NATO countries participating) since 2014. Estonia has participated since April 2023. ^{[2] [21]} Estonia will end its contribution to Operation Inherent Resolve by Sebtember 2025. At the time it was Estonia's largest foreign military operation, with up to 110 troops (one infatry company) participating. Estonia will continue participating in NATO Mission Iraq NMI. ^{[22] [23]}

• Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (2008–present)
  • Cyber Coalition (2023), cyber defence exercise in Tallinn, Estonia with 28 participating NATO countries and 7 non-NATO countries. ^[24]

• Pikne (December 2024), a 2-week long military exercise with multiple participating countries. The exercise is part of NATO's Vigilance Activity Brilliant Eagle, practicing a rapid deployment of Estonian and allied forces to a conflict zone. ^[25]

References

1. "SHAPE | Estonia". NATO.
2. "Operations abroad". Estonian Defence Forces. Retrieved 2022-05-05.
3. "Carrier Strike Group 12 Prepares for BALTOPS 2008". NNS080602-20. Carrier Strike Group 12 Public Affairs. 2 June 2008. Archived from the original on May 22, 2011. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
4. "Rahvusvaheline kaitsealane koostöö" (in Estonian). Archived from the original on 26 April 2009.
5. "ESTGUARD-1 lendab Bosnia-Hertsegoviina Vabariiki". Kaitsevägi (in Estonian). 2005-12-08. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
6. Pihlak, Harle (2018-10-16). "NATO CCDCOE – Expertise and cooperation make our cyber space safer". e-Estonia. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
7. Key NATO and Allied exercises in 2021
8. "NATO allies unite for Pitka Challenge 2015". Estonian World. 2015-08-11. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
9. ERR (2013-03-26). "Erna Raid Renamed After Admiral Pitka". ERR. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
10. Atlantic Resolve builds readiness, increases interoperability and enhances the bonds between ally and partner militaries with multinational training events in Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Romania.
11. ERR, ERR, ERR News | (2021-06-02). "Gallery: Kabul ceremony marks end of Estonia's 18-year Afghanistan presence". ERR. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
12. "NATO's Forward Presence" (PDF). NATO.
13. "NATO war game defends Baltic weak spot for first time". www.euractiv.com. 2017-06-19. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
14. "France, European allies announce military withdrawal from Mali". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
15. Kelly, Fergus (2019-11-08). "Estonia parliament approves Mali troop increase for Operation Barkhane". The Defense Post. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
16. ERR, Ester Vilgats | (2022-01-15). "Kaitseliitlaste üksus Lääne-Eestist suundus Poola". ERR (in Estonian). Retrieved 2022-05-04.
17. ERR, Ester Vilgats, Pärnu | (2022-02-11). "Poola piirile läheb juba kolmas Eesti sõjaväelaste üksus". ERR (in Estonian). Retrieved 2022-05-04.
18. "Estonian Defence Forces' new task force Wisent 3 started operating in Poland". Estonian Defence Forces. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
19. "Estonian task force unit in Poland concludes deployment with ceremony for Katyn victims". baltictimes.com . Retrieved 2022-05-04.
20. "Estonia's Wisent task force builds 4 bridges for border protection in Poland". www.baltictimes.com. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
21. ERR (2023-05-01). "EDF unit takes over Operation Inherent Resolve duties in Iraq". ERR. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
22. Andrew Whyte, Mait Ots (17 July 2025). "Estonia ending its contribution to US-led Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq". ERR. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
23. Maria-Ann Rohemäe (20 July 2025). "ERR in Iraq: Defense Forces returning from Estonia's largest military operation". ERR. Retrieved 20 July 2025.
24. NATO. "NATO's flagship cyber exercise concludes in Estonia". NATO. Retrieved 2023-12-12.
25. "Multinational Military Exercise Pikne Kicked Off In Estonia". Estonian Defence Forces. 2024-12-02. Retrieved 2024-12-02.