Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said the Abrams tank firings sent a clear deterrence message by strengthening national defence and allied presence. “Our goal is to prevent war, and for that we need to deter Russia. To do this, we must be strong and show strength, and to show strength we need to both strengthen the capabilities of the Estonian Defence Forces and demonstrate allied presence,” Pevkur said.
He added that the presence of U.S. forces in Estonia underlined this message in practical terms. “Today’s Abrams tank live fires and the unit’s daily service in Estonia are a very good example of how to send this deterrence message,” Pevkur said.
Brig. Gen. John Mountford, deputy commanding general for readiness of the US Army V Corps, said the deployment strengthened deterrence on NATO’s eastern flank and enhanced soldier professionalism. “Service in Estonia gives our soldiers a lot: it is a critically important life experience,” Mountford said.
He noted that many soldiers gained their first experience of serving outside their home country during the deployment. “Here they become part of international cooperation, learn about Estonian culture and hospitality, and by taking part in various exercises become even better soldiers,” Mountford said.
The target unit Dakota, based in Tapa and primarily equipped with M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks, began its rotation in Estonia at the end of September. The live-fire exercise, which started on December 17, reinforced tank crews’ ability to engage targets both by day and at night and confirmed the unit’s combat readiness.
