Estonia set to spend 17 million euros on purchasing grenades, aiming to produce more amusing internet content.
In a strategic move to bolster its defense capabilities, Estonia is set to acquire hand grenades worth approximately 17 million euros from the Rheinmetall subsidiary, Rheinmetall Waffe Munition ARGES GmbH. The transaction, reported by local media, is part of a multi-year procurement deal between Estonia and the company.
The purchase aims to boost Estonia's stockpiles amid the current security situation, particularly the heightened threat posed by Russia. Hand grenades are a standard component of the Estonian Defense Forces' combat gear and are essential for training purposes. This acquisition ensures the continued availability of grenades for training and prepares Estonia for potential conflict scenarios, given the Baltic states' strategic concerns about possible Russian aggression.
The contract, spanning from 2025 to 2029, includes both defensive (fragmentation) and offensive grenades. According to the delivery schedule, hand grenade deliveries will begin in the second half of 2025. Defensive grenades will be delivered primarily in 2026 and 2027, while offensive grenades will be supplied over a longer period, from 2026 through 2029.
This procurement is part of Estonia’s broader efforts to strengthen its defense capabilities, including infrastructure projects like the Baltic Defense Line and withdrawing from conventions banning anti-personnel mines to deter potential Russian incursions. The delivery timeline for the grenades is four years, starting from the end of 2025.
[1] Local media reports, 2023 [2] Estonian Ministry of Defense, 2023
The acquisition of both defensive and offensive hand grenades from Rheinmetall Waffe Munition ARGES GmbH falls under Estonia's multi-year procurement deal, aimed at reinforcing its defense capabilities for training purposes and potential conflict scenarios in the industry of aerospace and finance. The contract, spanning from 2025 to 2029, stipulates that defensive grenades will be delivered in 2026 and 2027, with offensive grenades supplied from 2026 through 2029, following the delivery schedule that begins in the second half of 2025.
