Robert Besser
25 May 2023, 02:59 GMT+10
TALLINN, Estonia: The defense ministries of Estonia and Latvia have announced that they are planning to jointly acquire German air defense systems for the protection of the two NATO nations' airspace.
The agreement would be the largest defense cooperation between the Baltic neighbors bordering Russia.
The medium-range IRIS-T SLM air defense system, manufactured by weapons maker Diehl Defense of Germany, could be delivered next year and be operational in 2025.
The two defense ministries did not confirm the value of the purchase or number of units to be bought, adding that talks with Diehl are ongoing.
In a statement, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said the agreement is "a joint project of historical proportions for our defense cooperation, the largest one to date" between Tallinn and Riga.
"Presuming that negotiations are successful, we, Estonia and Latvia, hope to reach the contract and, subsequently, announce the official winning bidder this summer," Pevkur said.
In a statement, Latvian Defense Minister Inara Murniece said, "Our jointly selected medium-range air defense system will further secure the skies of Latvia and Estonia and will provide the maximum possible protection for our people, as well as civil and military infrastructure."
The IRIS-T SLM air defense system is designed to protect cities, armies and civilian population from air attacks, and is effective against aircraft, helicopters and a host of other threats, such as unmanned aerial vehicles, cruise missiles and munitions.
Germany earlier delivered such air defense systems to Ukraine, where they are reported to have been successfully used against Russian targets.
Get a daily dose of London Mercury news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to London Mercury.
More InformationNEW YORK CITY, New York: Due to tighter lending standards from regional banks, US hotel developers are finding it more ...
DETROIT, MICHIGAN: Ford has announced that due to an engine defect that could cause fires, it will expand and issue ...
NEW YORK, New York - The bulls had the upper hand again on Friday, pushing the major indices to new ...
LOS ANGELES, California: After adjusting its battery supply chain to qualify for federal credits and other tax breaks, Tesla's Model ...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: Before the start of its annual Worldwide Developers Conference this week, Apple shares hit a ...
FREMONT, California: Elon Musk's brain implant startup Neuralink, valued at some $2 billion during a private fundraising round two years ...