ECDI Announces Tender for Loitering Air Munitions Framework Agreement

The Estonian Centre for Defence Investments (ECDI) has announced a tender for a framework agreement on loitering air munitions for a duration of seven years, to fulfill the Estonian Defence Forces' needs for various short- and long-range systems.

"The aim of the tender is to sign a framework agreement with multiple providers to procure comprehensive air munition capabilities," stated Ramil Lipp, ECDI’s Strategic Category Manager (Armaments). "These capabilities include aircraft, specifically FPV (first person view) and other drones adaptable for military use; various targeting and signal extending devices, as well as ground support units and related equipment, along with training, lifecycle support, and necessary maintenance services," Lipp explained.

Loitering air munitions can be based on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones, equipped with cameras for identifying targets round-the-clock. Such drones carry explosives or ammunition that can be dropped on a target or directed along with the drone itself.

According to Lipp, such solutions allow for extremely precise targeting while minimizing collateral damage. "The war in Ukraine has demonstrated that loitering air munitions or attack drones are highly effective tools for halting an adversary and delivering extremely precise strikes."

The framework agreement will span seven years and include multiple partners to allow the procurement of various comprehensive capabilities as well as individual devices. "As the Estonian Defence Forces' needs may change over time, this broad-based framework agreement will enable the purchase of different products over an extended period," added Lipp.