At the end of this year, the Estonian Navy (Eesti Merevägi) will have at its disposal the first brand new warships of the entire period of re-independence.
They are currently being built on the island of Saaremaa.
“Aktuaalne kaamera” (ERR News) reported on July 13th, that two military boats will be built in Baltic Workboats’ factory in Nasva, a small borough in Saare County.
The boats will be fast and, if necessary, they will have considerable firepower for their size.
Jüri Saska, the Commodore of Estonian Navy, said: “Weapons and three machine guns will be included on the boat.
I would say that they are not too inferior to our minesweepers today.
The military defense boats are designed to receive and support allies.
We also use them for cadet training and at the sea for presence standby.”
These two ships are very special and important for Estonia, Saska said: “These are totally brand-new ones that are built after the re-independence period.”
This is first time Baltic Workboats are building warships for the Estonian Navy and the company said it has been an honor to do so.
Margus Vanaselja, a member of the board of Baltic Workboats, described that military ship is very different from a police ship, which they have previously built, as the requirements vary a lot.
He added: “Military ships have special requirements as they have to cope with very rough conditions.
For example, all the equipment on board must be secured so that they are explosion-proof and do not fall off the wall.
In addition to that, they need to be bulletproof, all the ballistics and so.”
There are no plans to order commission similar in the coming years.
However, the state should make longer plans for its fleet.
Saska said: “The life cycle of today’s minesweepers will end at some point.
We have to look to the distant future to see how and where we will go next.”
One of the new ships’ special features is that they are self-standing, the so-called “Nevalyashka doll” effect.
