The State Center for Defense Investments of the Ministry of Defense of Estonia (Riigi Kaitseinvesteeringute Keskus - RKIK) reported that on October 18, 2023 in Tallinn, it signed contracts with the Turkish companies Nurol Makina ve Sanayi A.Ş. and Otokar Otomotiv ve Savunma Sanayi A.Ş. for a total of about 200 million euros for the supply of about 230 wheeled armored vehicles to the Estonian armed forces. Otokar ARMA armored personnel carriers (6x6) and Nurol NMS light armored vehicles (4x4). In addition, four more Nurol NMS (4x4) armored vehicles have been purchased for the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Center of the Estonian Rescue Department.
Samples of Turkish-made wheeled armored vehicles purchased for the Estonian Armed Forces - the Otokar ARMA (6x6) armored personnel carrier (left) and the Nurol NMS (4x4) light armored vehicle (right) at the contract signing ceremony in Tallinn on 10/18/2023 (c) Kermo Pastarus
The contract signing ceremony was held with the participation of Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur and Turkish Defense Minister General Yashar Guler. After the signing of the LOI (Letter of Intent) between the defense ministers of the two countries, a protocol on cooperation in the defense industry between Turkey and Estonia was also signed, signed by Magnus Valdemar Saar, Director General of RKIK, and Haluk Gergun, President of the Turkish Defense Industry Administration (SSB).
The delivery of armored vehicles to Estonia should begin in 2024 and be made within two years. The contracts themselves are designed for 10 years, including technical support, spare parts supplies and possible optional deliveries of additional machines.
According to Turkish publications, the contract with Nurol Makina provides for the supply of 100 armored vehicles NMS (4x4) worth about 70 million euros. The car was selected by RKIK based on the results of a tender in which six suppliers initially participated, and at the final stage in May 2023, four offers from three Turkish manufacturers were selected - Otokar Cobra II, BMC Amazon and Nurol Makina Ejder Yalçın and NMS machines. In total, according to the Estonian media, the needs of the Estonian armed forces amount to 200 vehicles of this class, so, apparently, additional purchases under the option are not excluded. Estonia became the second customer of Nurol NMS machines in Europe after Hungary.
The contract for the Otokar ARMA (6x6) armored personnel carriers thus includes 130 vehicles worth about 130 million euros. The choice was also made based on the results of a tender, in which nine companies from six countries participated. Estonia became the third known customer of the ARMA series APC after Bahrain and the UAE.
Both types of purchased vehicles in the execution for Estonia should be equipped with a hatch-mounted manual turret with a 12.7 mm M2 machine gun with armored cover. In the Estonian army, the Otokar ARMA armored personnel carriers will be used to equip motorized infantry battalions of the 2nd Infantry Brigade. Armored vehicles NMS will be used in parts of both infantry brigades.
It is worth recalling that in April 2020, Estonia joined a joint program with Finland and Latvia for the joint development of a promising wheeled armored platform based on an armored personnel carrier with a 6x6 wheel formula presented by the Finnish Patria group. Estonia, however, did not further express its interest in this program, which received the designation Common Armored Vehicle System (CAVS), and which Sweden and Germany have also joined to date. As a result, the Estonian Ministry of Defense, through RKIK, in 2021 began a competitive process for the purchase of a new armored personnel carrier abroad.
Samples of Turkish-made wheeled armored vehicles purchased for the Estonian Armed Forces - the Otokar ARMA armored personnel carrier (6x6) and the Nurol NMS light armored vehicle (4x4) at the contract signing ceremony in Tallinn on 10/18/2023 (c) Kermo Pastarus
