The cooperation agreement authorises France to carry out the joint procurement on behalf of all participating countries. The plan is to reach an agreement with the French company MBDA this autumn.
“I am very pleased that we are cooperating with our strategic partner, France, to develop Estonia’s air defence capability, which has been demonstrated to be crucial due to Russia’s aggression in Ukraine,” said Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur, who signed the agreement on behalf of Estonia.
“The participation of Belgium, Cyprus, and Hungary adds value to the cooperation agreement by enabling cost savings and faster delivery,” Pevkur added.
“By jointly procuring from a European manufacturer, we can also apply for support from the European Union. Our goal is to maximise defence capabilities for every euro invested in national defence,” explained Pevkur.
Mistral, produced by the French arms manufacturer MBDA, is an infrared homing surface-to-air missile system that operates on the fire-and-forget principle, with an effective engagement range of up to six kilometers against airborne threats.
