By Arie Egozi, Autonomy Global – Ambassador for Israel
The Israeli Ministry of Defence has been asked by several Israeli defence companies to approve export offers of their most advanced loitering weapon systems to Estonia, positioning Israeli industry for a major European opportunity.
Estonia launched a €400 million framework tender for loitering munitions on 6 December 2024 through the Estonian Centre for Defence Investments, opening a seven-year procurement window for multiple providers. The tender seeks both short- and long-range loitering munitions, including FPV drones, targeting devices, ground support equipment, training, and maintenance packages.
Israeli loitering munitions are already established in the Estonian inventory. In 2023, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) secured a contract to supply long-range loitering munitions such as the Harop and Mini-Harpy, strengthening Tallinn’s stand-off strike and counter-air-defence capabilities.
According to Israeli sources, additional Israeli players are now expected to join the new competition, with companies like Elbit Systems and Rafael likely to submit bids. Their prospective participation would broaden Estonia’s options across the spectrum of loitering effects, from man-portable tactical systems to larger, higher-payload platforms.
The Estonian Ministry of Defence is aiming to build a layered loitering strike ecosystem, from simple short-range drones to sophisticated long-range platforms capable of delivering explosives over hundreds of kilometres. By structuring the tender as a long-term, multi-vendor framework, Estonia is signalling a sustained demand for loitering munitions as a core component of its future fires and deterrence posture.