Armed Forces
French forces practice rapid air deployment to Estonia
As part of the exercise Pikne, approximately 200 soldiers from the French Armed Forces« 3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment arrived at Ämari Air Base today during a rapid deployment drill. The troops, transported by aircraft, relocated to integrate with the NATO multinational battlegroup permanently stationed in Estonia. The joint units are practicing responding to military threats on land, in the air, and at sea.
„It is incredibly important for us to operate beyond France’s borders, to learn from other militaries and their procedures, and to share our expertise with one another. We stand shoulder to shoulder, united in our missioon,” said Colonel Colomban De Poncharra, Commmander of the 3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment.
After deploying to Estonia and achieving initial combat readiness, the French Marines will proceed to training areas in northeastern Estonia. There, they will join forces with units from the Estonian Defense Forces, the Estonian Defense League, and other allied forces. Reservists from the Engineer Battalion (1st Infantry Brigade) and the Air Defense Battery (Estonian Division), called up earlier today during the snap exercise Okas 24-2, will also take part in Pikne.
In addition to the French Marines, other participants in this week’s exercises in northern and northeastern Estonia include the 1st Infantry Brigade, the NATO Multinational Battlegroup in Estonia, a Latvian National Guard unit, and territorial defense regions of the Estonian Defense League. The units« operations in the field are supported by an Estonian Air Force Robinson R44 helicopter, while naval activities in the eastern Gulf of Finland involve the Estonian Navy’s patrol vessel EML Kindral Kurvits and the French Navy ships FS Croix du Sud and FS Commandant Blaison.
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The focus is on unit deployments and combat drills during the first week of Exercise Pikne, held from December 2 to 15. In the second week, allied units will conduct live-fire exercises at the Sirgala training grounds.
Although the primary activities of this NATO exercise are taking place near Estonia’s eastern border, Pikne is strictly defensive in nature, combining land, air, and sea operations by allied forces. Approximately 2,000 military personnel are participating from Estonia and allied nations.
Exercise Pikne is part of NATO’s Vigilance Activity Brilliant Eagle, which emphasizes allied deployment and interoperability capabilities in the Baltic Sea region.