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Estonia Expands Long-Range Firepower with 12 Additional CAESAR Self-Propelled Howitzers.
Estonia confirmed on 12 February 2026 that it has ordered 12 additional CAESAR wheeled self-propelled howitzers in a new contract announced in Brussels. The expansion significantly boosts Estonia’s long-range firepower and reinforces NATO deterrence along the alliance’s north-eastern flank.
On 12 February 2026, Estonia announced in Brussels that it has signed a contract for 12 additional CAESAR 155mm wheeled self-propelled howitzers, expanding a fleet first introduced into service earlier this decade. The procurement, coordinated with France and manufacturer Nexter, reflects Tallinn’s continued focus on mobile long-range fires as a cornerstone of deterrence. Estonian defense officials framed the deal as both a capability upgrade and a reaffirmation of strategic defense ties with Paris. The CAESAR system, mounted on a high-mobility 6x6 or 8x8 chassis depending on configuration, delivers NATO-standard 155mm precision fires at ranges exceeding 40 kilometers with extended-range munitions. By doubling its CAESAR inventory, Estonia strengthens its ability to conduct dispersed, shoot-and-scoot artillery operations suited to the Baltic theater. The move underscores how Tallinn views deep fires as essential to raising the cost of aggression before hostile forces can close with frontline units.
A French CAESAR 155mm self-propelled howitzer unleashes a high-velocity round toward Islamic State positions in Syria’s Middle Euphrates River Valley on 2 December 2018, its truck-mounted chassis angled for rapid displacement after the shot (Picture Source: United States Army / British Broadcasting Corporation)
The contract, signed by ECDI alongside France’s procurement agency DGA and the manufacturer KNDS, adds 12 CAESAR systems to the Estonian orderbook, with deliveries expected within 2026. Estonia’s defence minister stated the systems should arrive already this year, underscoring a tempo that Tallinn clearly wants to maintain as the regional security environment remains dominated by the Russia factor. For Estonia, speed matters as much as quantity because artillery is not just a supporting arm in modern high-intensity war; it is a main driver of battlefield initiative and attrition.
This new batch also clarifies Estonia’s near-term inventory picture. The Estonian Defence Forces received the first 12 CAESAR Mk1 155 mm howitzers last year, and they were assigned to the newly established third self-propelled artillery battalion under the Estonian Division. With the additional 12, Estonia is set to field 24 CAESAR systems by the end of 2026, effectively doubling its wheeled self-propelled artillery component. At the same time, Estonia is not building fires around a single platform: it also operates tracked K9 howitzers, giving the division a more resilient mix of mobility profiles and basing options across seasons and terrain.
CAESAR’s appeal lies in a combination that aligns with Estonia’s need to stop a hostile force at distance while staying survivable. The CAESAR Mk1 pairs a 155 mm/52-calibre gun with high road mobility, enabling rapid repositioning and “shoot-and-scoot” tactics that reduce exposure to counter-battery fire. KNDS documentation describes a rate of fire around six rounds per minute, carriage of 18 complete rounds on the vehicle, and ranges that exceed 40 km depending on ammunition, with extended-range projectiles pushing farther. The system’s use of NATO-standard 155 mm ammunition supports compatibility with allied stockpiles and resupply pathways, while the automation and simplified procedures shorten the time required to generate trained crews.
CAESAR’s operational history reinforces why many European armies view wheeled 155 mm self-propelled guns as a practical answer to fast-moving, sensor-driven battlefields. The system has seen deployments with French forces in Afghanistan, Mali, and Iraq, and it has also been employed in Ukraine, where counter-battery pressure, drone-enabled target acquisition, and dispersed operations have become daily realities. This record does not make the platform invulnerable, but it highlights a key lesson that Estonia is clearly internalising: survivability in modern artillery is increasingly a function of mobility, tempo, dispersion, and integration with sensors and command networks rather than armour alone.
The 12 additional CAESARs matter because they shift Estonia from “introducing a capability” to “building depth.” A larger fleet allows more continuous coverage, more guns available per mission cycle, and more flexibility to rotate crews, sustain readiness, and keep barrels and vehicles within maintenance limits. For a small country with limited strategic depth, the ability to reposition artillery rapidly across road networks is a direct answer to the problem Estonia is preparing for: disrupting an advancing hostile group before it can mass combat power, and doing so from standoff distances that complicate enemy manoeuvre and logistics. With more launch points available and more fire units able to move quickly, Estonia can increase uncertainty for an adversary attempting to plan routes, assembly areas, bridging efforts, or staging inside range arcs.
The purchase carries a clear geopolitical message shaped by Estonia’s geography. Sharing a border with Russia and sitting on approaches tied to the wider Baltic Sea region, Estonia is investing in fires that can support national defence plans while plugging into NATO’s broader deterrence posture. The deal also deepens practical Franco-Estonian defence cooperation by linking procurement agencies and industry into a repeatable pipeline, which matters when Europe is trying to shorten timelines from decision to delivery. In Baltic terms, more Estonian long-range tube artillery adds another layer to regional denial by strengthening the ability to hold key terrain, disrupt concentrations, and sustain defensive operations in a crisis, making escalation riskier and less predictable for any would-be aggressor.
Estonia’s additional 12 CAESARs are not just extra barrels; they are an investment in time, reach, and operational flexibility. By doubling its wheeled self-propelled artillery fleet while sustaining a mixed fires portfolio, Tallinn is building a deterrent designed to engage early, move fast, and keep pressure on an opponent across the depth of Estonia’s territory. For the Baltic region, it is another concrete signal that credible defence is being built around the ability to strike effectively at distance, before a hostile force can turn momentum into occupation.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.