1918–1940

Estonian B.E.2 in the Estonian War of Liberation

The roots of the current organization go back to the Russian revolution of February 1917, after which the Estonian state obtained a degree of autonomy within Russia, which included the establishment of national armed forces. Thus many Estonians in the Russian Army returned home to take up arms for their homeland. The Estonian Declaration of Independence in early 1918 was not recognized by Germany, which invaded and occupied the country during 1918. The Estonian armed forces were disbanded.

After the armistice on 11 November 1918, the Estonian Provisional Government immediately set about establishing a military aviation unit. On 21 November 1918 Voldemar Victor Riiberg, the Commander of the Engineering Battalion, assigned August Roos to organize a flight unit. The Aviation Company of the Engineer Battalion began to establish air bases near Tallinn for seaplanes and land planes, but it was not until January 1919 that the first operational aircraft was acquired – a captured Soviet Farman HF.30.

In the meantime, on 22 November 1918, the Soviet Red Army had attacked Estonia and soon occupied most of the country. The fledgling Estonian Army, with foreign assistance, managed to counter-attack in early January 1919 and went on to liberate the country by late February. It subsequently moved on to liberate Latvia. Aviation Company aircraft flew a limited number of missions in support of the army. Following the February 1920 peace treaty with the Soviet Russia, the Estonian Army was demobilized, but the Aviation Company was retained. With the delivery of more aircraft, it was reorganized as an Aviation Regiment (Estonian: Lennuväe rügement), comprising a landplane squadron, seaplane squadron, flying school and workshops. More bases and seaplane stations were built.

Some Aviation Regiment pilots were involved in a pro-Soviet coup attempt on 1 December 1924, but this was crushed within hours. From 1925 the First World War era aircraft were gradually replaced by more modern types. During 1928 the Aviation Regiment came under the control of an Air Defence (Õhukaitse) organization which included the Anti-Aircraft Artillery.

In 1939 the Estonian Air force consisted of about 80 active airplanes: Bristol Bulldog, Hawker Hart and Potez 25 biplanes from the 1920s, but also the more modern Avro Anson multipurpose aircraft, in three groups stationed at Rakvere, Tartu, and Tallinn. The Navy also maintained two multipurpose aircraft wings.^[2]

Plans to acquire Spitfires and Lysanders from Britain were thwarted when the outbreak of World War II in 1939 forced Britain to cancel all export orders. After the defeat of Poland, Estonia was forced to accept a Mutual Assistance Pact with the Soviet Union, signed on 28 September 1939. This allowed the Soviets to establish military bases in Estonia, which were later used in the Winter War against Finland. On 17 June 1940 the three Baltic States were invaded by Soviet forces. During the June 1940 invasion the Air Defence took no action and subsequently aircraft remained locked in their hangars. The air force became the Aircraft Squadron of the 22nd Territorial Rifle Corps of the Red Army in the summer of 1940.

1991–present

An Estonian Air Force R44

The Estonian Air Force was re-established on 16 December 1991 after the restoration of independence of the Republic of Estonia in 1991.^[3] The Air Force was slow to reform because the Soviets had damaged or destroyed most of their infrastructure before leaving.

The Air Force Command and Control Headquarters was formed in Tallinn on 13 April 1994.^[4] In February 1993 the German government donated two Let L-410UVPs transport aircraft. In October 1994 three Mi-2 helicopters were delivered, followed by four Mi-8s in November 1995. Initially tasked with ground-based, air surveillance and air defence using only old Soviet radars and AAA equipment, on 15 May 1997 the Air Force moved into the former Soviet Su-24 base at Ämari, south of Tallinn. In 1997–98 two of the Mi-8s were upgraded.

The Estonian Air Force has been rebuilding the military infrastructure left by the Soviet military. Most of the funds have been directed to the Ämari military airfield which was completed in 2011.^[5] The objective of developing Ämari Air Base is to cooperate with NATO and partner nations' air forces, and being able to supply standardized airfield and aircraft services necessary for Host Nation Support. Due to the lack of modern and developed military aviation infrastructure, the Air Force's development has been very slow.

Structure and units

Ämari

Levalõpme

Otepää

Kellavere

Estonian Air Force locations
Radar station with GM 403
Radar station with AN/TPS-77(V)

• Estonian Air Force Headquarters

The Estonian Air Force Headquarters is highest command of the Estonian Air Forces and represents the military concept-developing, command and executive structure providing Air Forces peacetime, crisis and wartime leadership in order to reach, maintain and increase, as required, the operational level of the military subordinated structures so that to be able to operate under authorized commands responsible for military operations planning and conduct.^[6]

• Air Surveillance Wing

The Air Surveillance Wing (ASW) is located at Ämari Air Base and responsible for operating and maintaining the systems to monitor all air movements in Estonian air space. Its Air Operations Control Centre reports to the Baltic Air Surveillance Network's Regional Airspace Surveillance Coordination Centre (RASCC) in Karmėlava, Lithuania, which in turn reports to CAOC Uedem of NATO's Integrated Air and Missile Defence System.^[4]

• Ämari Air Base

Although the Estonian Air Force inherited a large number of former Soviet Air Force airfields in 1991 during the restoration of independence, most of them were disbanded within the early 90s due to non-existing need for such airfields. The Estonian Air Force has one active main air base in Ämari and occasionally uses a civilian airfield in Tallinn. The base houses the Base Operation Centre, Base Defence Operations Centre, a flight group, the Airfield Operations Group, Air Force Support Group and the Air Force Training Centre.

Ranks and insignia

NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D)						Student officer
Estonian Air Force[7]
			Kindral		Kindralleitnant		Kindralmajor		Brigaadikindral		Kolonel		Kolonelleitnant		Major		Kapten		Leitnant		Nooremleitnant		Lipnik
Estonian: Lühend			kin		kin-ltn		kin-mjr		brig-kin		kol		kol-ltn		mjr		kpt		ltn		n-ltn		lpn
English: Ranks			General		Lieutenant General		Major General		Brigadier General		Colonel		Lieutenant Colonel		Major		Captain		First Lieutenant		Second Lieutenant		Ensign

NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Estonian Air Force[7]
	Ülemveebel			Staabiveebel			Vanemveebel		Veebel		Nooremveebel						Vanemseersant						Seersant		Nooremseersant				Kapral						Reamees
Estonian: Lühend	ü-vbl			st-vbl			v-vbl		vbl		n-vbl						v-srs						srs		n-srs				kpr						rms
English: Ranks	Chief Master Sergeant of Air Force			Chief Master Sergeant			Senior Master Sergeant		Master Sergeant		Technical Sergeant						Staff Sergeant						Sergeant		Sergeant				Senior Airman						Airman

Aircraft

An Estonian Aero L-39C Albatros in flight

An Estonian PZL M28 Skytruck

Note : Three C-17 Globemaster III's are available through the Heavy Airlift Wing based in Hungary.^[11]

Radar

Bibliography

• Gerdessen, Frederik. "Estonian Air Power 1918 – 1945". Air Enthusiast, No. 18, April – July 1982. pp. 61–76. ISSN 0143-5450.
• Gerdessen, Frederik; Kitvel, Toivo and Tilk, Johannes. "Aeg, mehed, lennukid" Tallinn: Eesti Entsüklopeediakirjastus 2001
• Humberstone, Richard. Estonian Air Force, 1918–1940 (Insignia Air Force Special No.3). London: Blue Rider Publishing, 1999.
• Kitvel, Toivo and Tilk, Johannes ""Eesti lennukroonika: tekste ja pilte aastani 1940" Tallinn: Aviopol 2003
• Schrik, Cristian (2016). "On the Front Line". Air Forces Monthly (234): 60–63.
• World aircraft information files Brightstar publishing file 329 sheet 9