The Defense Force is planning to purchase surveillance drones in the next few years in a bid to upgrade reconnaissance capabilities.

ERR
Defense Forces commander in chief Maj. Gen. Riho Terras told Eesti Päevaleht today that Russia is increasingly proving it is a military superpower and recent conflicts have developed very quickly, which means that Estonia's military priority is to develop its surveillance abilities.

“Decisions to react must be made in weeks, which means that intelligence must be gathered in a matter of days,” Terras said, adding that a "blind" nation "could not be defended."

The daily reports that Estonia, along with 12 other NATO members, is participating in a procurement to purchase US-built Global Hawk unmanned surveillance aircraft.

Six million euros have been earmarked for 2015 or 2016 with necessary infrastructure at an undisclosed location also planned.

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