The Estonian Defence Forces (Eesti Kaitsevägi) received a significant enhancement to its national defence capabilities with the Blue Spear 5G surface-to-surface missile (5G SSM), the Estonian Centre of Defence Investments (ECDI) announced on 9 February.
The Blue Spear SSM is an advanced all-weather SSM that can operate in day and night conditions and is designed for engaging beyond line-of mobile and stationary targets at ranges of up to 290 km at sea. The high-subsonic missile can be launched from different land-based platforms and uses an active radar-homing seeker coupled with INS-based navigation capabilities, as well as other technologies that render it “immune to GPS disruptions”.
“The presence of Blue Spears in the Navy significantly increases the firing range of the [EDF] and strengthens deterrence against a potential aggressor,” said Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur, who earlier noted that the coastal defence project is the most complex Estonian defence procurement effort to date.
The anti-ship missiles were supplied to Estonia by Proteus Advanced Systems, a joint venture between two companies, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and ST Engineering Land Systems from Singapore.
“We are honoured to equip the Estonian Defence Forces with Blue Spear type missiles,” said Ron Tryfus, CEO of Proteus Advanced Systems.
“With this, the Estonian Navy has acquired a high-tech defence capability, a next-generation land-to-land missile system developed in cooperation between two companies, IAI and ST Engineering Land Systems,” added Tryfus.
The EDF will use the Blue Spear SSM in the land-based mobile launcher configuration for coastal defence operations by the Estonian Navy once the missiles are operationalised.
The Blue Spear SSM will also be used in the shipborne configuration by the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), which will replace its ageing Harpoon SSMs currently integrated to its Formidable-class guided-missile frigates with the Blue Spear SSM during the vessels’ mid-life upgrade programme. The new missile will almost double the potential offensive reach of the frigates when operationalised.
by Jr Ng
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