Estonia Acquires Its First Tracked Manoeuvre Live Fire Battle Runs

Yesterday, the Tracked Manoeuvre Live Fire Battle Runs was inaugurated at the Defence Forces’ central training area with live-fire exercises by the Scouts Battalion. This range allows infantry to conduct training in all directions, including live-fire exercises with tanks and other weapons. The construction of the Tracked Manoeuvre Live Fire Battle Runs was funded through NATO’s Security Investment Programme training infrastructure package.

Previously, units conducted training at the Ādaži Tracked Manoeuvre Live Fire Battle Runs in Latvia. "Since allied forces also trained there, it was difficult to find available time due to constant bookings. Therefore, we decided to build our own Tracked Manoeuvre Live Fire Battle Runs in Estonia. Thanks to recommendations from allies and the former head of the Armour School, we have a modern facility that also meets allied training requirements," said Elari Kalmaru, Training Areas Portfolio Manager at the Estonian Centre for Defence Investments (ECDI).

"The Scouts Battalion must be several times better than the opponent to ensure success on the battlefield. Good training and excellent training opportunities create the necessary conditions for this. The Tracked Manoeuvre Live Fire Battle Runs provides better opportunities to maintain and improve our training level since we can conduct live-fire exercises of varying complexity at the new facility," said Lieutenant Colonel Ranno Raudsik, commander of the Scouts Battalion.

The new range will facilitate training for infantry units, tanks, self-propelled artillery, infantry fighting vehicles, and armoured personnel carriers. The area includes four northeast-southwest-oriented tank roads, and the first 1.5 kilometres of the battle runs have concrete firing positions. According to Siim Pikkur, Training Areas Portfolio Administration Manager at ECDI, the firing positions and target placement areas have been built according to allied standards, allowing for flexible training.

The remaining area features concrete and soil-covered target positions with rising targets. Pikkur explained that targets can be placed according to how the exercise leader wants to portray the enemy. Additionally, the facility includes moving targets (at 300m and 350m), enabling training for engaging moving objects, such as tanks.

In the northern part of the Tracked Manoeuvre Live Fire Battle Runs, an observation tower made of shipping containers has been constructed for monitoring exercises and fire control. The containers are easily relocatable, highly visible from aircraft, and meet thermal insulation and energy efficiency requirements.

According to Aleksander Lember, head of the construction division at Tariston AS—the company that built the facility—his company has been involved in multiple development projects at the central training area since 2008. "The construction of the Tracked Manoeuvre Live Fire Battle Runs was the largest of these projects so far, and I am pleased that we successfully tackled this challenge together," said Lember.

The construction of the Tracked Manoeuvre Live Fire Battle Runs was funded through NATO’s Security Investment Programme training infrastructure package.

Through the NATO Security Investment Programme (NSIP), infrastructure necessary to meet the alliance’s military objectives is developed. Previously, the NSIP programme has funded renovations at Ämari Air Base, infrastructure for NATO’s headquarters element, and the construction of the RSOM area in Tapa, including an internal heavy equipment road. Ongoing projects include the development of the NATO Cyber Range Project and the design and construction of piers and a breakwater at Miinisadam naval base.