Estonia Has Started Receiving Turkish Armored Vehicles

25 January, 2025 A Turkish armored personnel carrier Otokar Arma 6x6 during testing in Estonia. Photo credits: ECDI The Estonian Army has begun receiving ordered Turkish armored personnel carriers and armored vehicles.

This was reported by Janes during a visit to the Defense iQ International Armored Vehicles (IAV) 2025 conference. The supply of Turkish armored vehicles to the Estonian Defense Forces began in the second half of 2024 as part of a EUR200 million order signed with two Turkish manufacturers. As a result, the country will receive 100 Nurol Makina NMS 4x4 armored vehicles, the contract for which was signed in October 2023.

Arma and NMS armored personnel carriers.

October 2023. Estonia. Photo credits: RKIK

Along with the armored vehicles, a contract was signed for the purchase of 130 Otokar ARMA 6x6 armored personnel carriers in October 2023.

The total contract is for 230 vehicles, as well as documentation, training, special tools, equipment and spare parts. At the same time, Otokar said that the contract for the Arma APCs was worth EUR130 million. Currently, the armored vehicles will be supplied to the 2nd Infantry Brigade of the Estonian Defense Forces, while the 1st Infantry Brigade will receive NMS armored vehicles.

The contracts are valid for 10 years and allow for the purchase of additional armored vehicles and spare parts, as well as the fulfillment of orders for maintenance, repair and modernization of vehicles.

NMS-L at the Defence Vehicle Dynamics exhibition, UK, September 18, 2024. Photo credits: European Defence Review

Four NMS vehicles are also being procured for the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Center of the Estonian Rescue Department. The NMS model for the department has an extended wheelbase (EWB), but most NMS and Arma vehicles are standard versions.

Earlier, Militarny reported that the Turkish armored vehicle manufacturer Otokar had signed a contract to supply 1059 COBRA II 4x4 armored vehicles to the Romanian Armed Forces. The contract is estimated to be worth approximately EUR857 million. The first 278 armored vehicles will be manufactured in Turkey.

Further, it is planned to localize and continue the production of the armored vehicles by the Romanian defense industry.

According to the plans, the deliveries of COBRA II armored vehicles are to begin in the last quarter of 2025, and will be carried out in batches over 5 years.

The tender also includes logistics support services.