On Sunday, Dec. 8, the active phase of Exercise Pikne concluded with a field training exercise including offensive and defensive battles. The coming week will include live-fire exercises for Allied units at the Sirgala training area.
“French Armed Forces have demonstrated the ability to deploy its units very quickly when needed, and integrate them into our operations, including covering us during mobilization,” said Major General Indrek Sirel, Commander of the Estonian Division. “During the exercise, reservists from the division’s air defense battery had the opportunity to practice air defence operations, which they were very satisfied with. Additionally, the Estonian Navy benefited from training alongside French ships.”
The first week of Exercise Pikne focused on operations in northern and northeastern Estonia as well as the Gulf of Finland. During the exericse NATO practiced rapid deployment of its forces to notional conflict zones, integrating them into a multinational battle group in Estonia, and collaborating to counter threats on land, in the air, and at sea. The exercise will continue with live-fire training involving French, British, and Latvian units at the Sirgala training area.
In addition, based on the proposal of the Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces, reservists from the Engineer Battalion of the 1st Infantry Brigade and the Short-Range Air Defense Battery of the Estonian Division were called up for snap exercise Okas from December 3-15 and December 3-8, respectively.
The Short-Range Air Defense unit, using recently aquired man-portable air defence systems Piorun, was demobilized this morning after six days of training. Reservists refreshed their skills to achieve combat readiness, calibrated their firearms, and performed tasks simulating wartime operations. The tasks included supporting the Engineer Battalion’s movement, defending the airspace over the units of Regional Command North-East (Estonian Defence League), and honing tactics against fighter jets and helicopters.
“There was a lot of action. Our active-duty commanders and Allied air force service members did an exemplary job creating an engaging exercise, which added significant value for our wartime unit,” said Junior Sergeant Toomas Erapart, a reservist from the Air Defense Battery. “We observed real-life air assets, how quickly they change direction, and learned how to position ourselves to avoid detection. We also practiced how to relocate after launching a missile to maintain operational readiness.”
“We are very grateful to the Estonian Air Force and our Allies for helping us train for the tasks air defense will conduct during wartime,” said Master Sergeant Aaron Lee Baum, senior non-commissioned officer of the Air Defense Battery (Estonian Division). “We set various challenging training goals and scenarios, including situations this team had not previously practiced. Thanks to the dedication and readiness of all participants, especially the reservists, we accomplished them all.”
The air defense training was supported by the Estonian Air Force with helicopters Robinson and the French Air Force with fighter jets Dassault Rafale.
The international military exercise Pikne, conducted from December 2-15, 2024, is led by the Estonian Division and nearly 2,000 troops from Estonia, Latvia, USA, France and United Kingdom participate in it. During the first week of the exercise, the focus was on deployment of units and increasing interoperability. During the second week of the exercise, a Live Fire Exercise (LFX) will be conducted at the Sirgala training area.
