View source for Estonian Navy

{{Short description|Maritime warfare branch of Estonia's military}}

{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name= Estonian Navy
|native_name= Merevägi
|image= Estonian Navy emblem.svg
|image_size= 
|caption= Emblem of the Estonian Navy
|dates= 1918–1940<br>1991–present
|country= {{Flag|Estonia|size=23px}}
|allegiance=
|branch= 
|type= [[Navy]]
|role= [[Naval warfare]]
|size=
|command_structure=[[Estonian Defence Forces]]
|garrison=Miinisadam
|garrison_label=Headquarters
|equipment=
|equipment_label=
|nickname=
|patron=
|motto=''Mere kutsel - mere kaitsel!''<br>{{small|(English: "Call of the Sea – Call to Defend")}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Estonian Navy|url=http://www.mil.ee/en/navy|website=mil.ee|access-date=2018-02-14}}</ref>
|colors=
|colors_label=
|march=
|mascot=
|battles= {{blist|[[Estonian War of Independence]]}}
|anniversaries=21 November
|decorations=
|battle_honours=
<!-- Commanders -->
|current_commander= [[Commodore (rank)|Commodore]] [[Ivo Värk]]
|current_commander_label= Commander of the Estonian Navy
|commander3=
|commander3_label=
|commander2=
|commander2_label=	
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
|colonel_of_the_regiment_label=
|notable_commanders= [[Admiral]] [[Johan Pitka]]
<!-- Insignia -->
|identification_symbol=[[Image:Naval Ensign of Estonia.svg|150px]]
|identification_symbol_label= Ensign
|identification_symbol_2=[[Image:Naval Jack of Estonia.svg|border|150px]]
|identification_symbol_2_label= Jack 
|identification_symbol_3=[[Image:Flags of Estonia - Masthead Pennant.svg|150px]] 
|identification_symbol_3_label= Pennant

<!-- Aircraft -->
|aircraft_attack=
|aircraft_bomber=
|aircraft_electronic=
|aircraft_fighter=
|aircraft_interceptor=
|aircraft_recon=
|aircraft_patrol=
|aircraft_trainer=
|aircraft_transport=
}}

The '''Estonian Navy''' ({{langx|et|Merevägi}}) are the unified naval forces among the [[Estonian Defence Forces]].

With only six commissioned ships and displacement well under 10,000 tonnes, the Estonian navy is one of the smallest navies in the world. Its ship prefix is EML (''Eesti Mereväe Laev''/Estonian Navy Ship). The Estonian Navy has participated numerous times in NATO's naval joint-exercises.

==History==

===Interwar period===

====Foundation====
[[File:Lennuk1924.jpg|thumb|The Estonian destroyer ''[[Izyaslav-class destroyer|Lennuk]]'' in 1924]]
[[File:Kalev lembit1.jpg|thumb|The Estonian submarines {{EML|Kalev|1936|2}} and {{EML|Lembit||2}} during the interwar period]]
The ''Merevägi'' was founded on November 21, 1918. The foundation and development of the Estonian Navy rely greatly on the [[Royal Navy]] which operated in the Gulf of Finland as an ally to Estonia during the Estonian War of Independence. The first Estonian navy warships were the destroyers ''[[BAP Almirante Guise (1933)|Lennuk]]'' and ''[[Orfey-class destroyer|Wambola]]'' and were gifts from the UK's Royal Navy after they had been captured from the Russian Baltic Fleet in 1919. {{Citation needed|date=January 2024}}

====Marine Infantry====
{{Main|Meredessantpataljon}}
The Meredessantpataljon was a short-lived marine infantry - Naval landing battalion of the Estonian Defence Forces subject to the Estonian Navy. The battalion was created from the crews of the Estonian surface warships and was based in Tallinn. {{Citation needed|date=January 2024}}

====Coastal batteries====
{{Main|Coastal batteries of Estonia}}
Since the end of the 19th century, the Russian Empire began to build coastal fortresses and naval strongholds in Estonia which was annexed to the empire after the [[Great Northern War]] in 1721. Tallinn, having been historically an important trading center between the East and the West, became one of the main naval bases of the [[Imperial Russian]] [[Baltic Fleet]]. A systematic coastal defence network and naval gun installations were ordered, and the construction works began at the end of the 1890s.{{Citation needed|date=January 2024}}

During the [[Estonian War of Independence]] and after the [[Treaty of Tartu (Russian–Estonian)|Treaty of Tartu]] the Estonian Navy began to rebuild and develop the coastal defence network. From 1918 to 1940 Estonia invested millions of [[Estonian kroon|kroons]] into the renovation and development of coastal defences. By 1939 the coastal batteries presented a considerable naval force and were considered among the Estonian Navy elite forces. During [[World War II]] and later the [[Soviet occupation of Estonia]], little has remained of the former coastal defence lines and fortifications. Today some buildings and firing positions can be seen at various places of which the best-preserved ones are located on the island of [[Aegna]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2024}}

===After restoration of independence===

====20th century====
In 1998 the Baltic Naval Squadron [[BALTRON]] was inaugurated. The main responsibility of BALTRON is to improve the co-operation between the Baltic States in the areas of naval defence and security. Constant readiness to contribute units to NATO-led operations is assured through BALTRON.

Each Baltic state appoints one or two ships to BALTRON for certain periods and staff members for one year. Service in BALTRON provides both, the crews and staff officers, with an excellent opportunity to serve in an international environment and acquire valuable experience in mine countermeasures. Estonia provides BALTRON with on-shore facilities for the staff.

Since 1995 Estonian Navy ships have participated in most of the major international exercises and operations carried out in the Baltic Sea. Even though it was not until 1993 when the Navy was re-established, and despite the fact that it incorporates one of the smallest fleets in the world, the young crews of the Navy ships have demonstrated excellent interoperability during international exercises and have proved to be equal partners with other navies.{{Citation needed|date=January 2024}}

====21st century====
From May 2005 to March 2006, {{EML|Admiral Pitka|A230|6}} was assigned as the Command and Support Ship of [[NATO]]'s [[Standing NRF Mine Countermeasures Group 1]] which is part of the [[NATO Response Force]]'s maritime capability.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.manw.nato.int/manw/pages/organisation/snmcmg1.htm |title=Response Force Mine Countermeasures Group 1 |access-date=2008-02-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080203065559/http://www.manw.nato.int/manw/pages/organisation/snmcmg1.htm |archive-date=2008-02-03 |url-status=dead }}</ref> ENS Admiral Pitka was the first vessel from the Baltic navies to be part of the force. SNMCMG1 is also one of the Estonian Navy's main NATO partners.{{Citation needed|date=January 2024}}

In 2020, the Estonian Defence Forces started planning the development of new defensive capabilities, which included procuring [[naval mine]]s and [[anti-ship missile]] systems.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Krjukov |first1=Aleksander |title=Rannakaitse täisvõimekuse saavutamiseks kuluks paar aastat |url=https://www.err.ee/1142379/rannakaitse-taisvoimekuse-saavutamiseks-kuluks-paar-aastat |website=err.ee |publisher=ERR |language=et |date=2 October 2020}}</ref> In 2021, Estonia signed a contract with a Finnish company for the procurement of naval mines.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Whyte |first1=Andrew |title=AK: Estonian Navy sea mine procurement from Finnish firm going ahead |url=https://news.err.ee/1608270519/ak-estonian-navy-sea-mine-procurement-from-finnish-firm-going-ahead |date=8 July 2021}}</ref> In October, Estonia also signed a contract for [[Gabriel (missile)#Blue Spear and Sea Serpent missile systems|Blue Spear 5G SSM]] anti-ship missiles.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kallaste |first1=Kristjan |title=Estonia signs contract for coastal defense system acquisition |url=https://news.err.ee/1608361155/estonia-signs-contract-for-coastal-defense-system-acquisition |website=news.err.ee |publisher=ERR |date=6 October 2021}}</ref>

In November 2021, the Estonian government decided to merge the fleet of the [[Police and Border Guard Board]] to the Estonian Navy. The navy would take over the ships, personnel and tasks of the Police and Border Guard Board. The merger would be completed by 1 January 2023.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hussar |first1=Karoliina |title=Valitsus otsustas ühendada PPA ja kaitseväe laevastikud. |url=https://www.delfi.ee/artikkel/95232017/valitsus-otsustas-uhendada-ppa-ja-kaitsevae-laevastikud-laanet-see-on-lahiaja-suurim-riigireform |website=delfi.ee |language=et |date=25 November 2021}}</ref>

==Organisation==
===Commanders===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! rowspan=2| {{Abbr|No.|Number}}
! rowspan=2| Portrait
! rowspan=2| Name<br />{{small|(birth–death)}}
! colspan=3| Term of office
! rowspan=2| {{Abbr|Ref.|Refences}}
|-
! Took office
! Left office
! Time in office
|-
| 1
| [[File:Rudolf Schiller, MMF755 2 1 (cropped).jpg|80px]]
| Captain lieutenant<br />'''{{ill|Rudolf Schiller|et}}'''<br />{{small|(1872–1938)}}
| 21 November 1918
| 21 December 1918
| {{age in years and months|1918|11|21|1918|12|1}}
| 
|-
| 2
| [[File:Johan Pitka 2.jpg|80px]]
| Counter admiral<br />'''[[Johan Pitka]]'''<br />{{small|(1872–1944)}}
| 21 December 1918
| 28 November 1919
| {{age in years and months|1918|12|1|1919|11|1}}
| 
|-
| 3
| 
| Naval captain<br />'''[[Johannes Herm]]'''<br />{{small|(1893–1926)}}
| 28 November 1919
| 1 March 1925
| {{age in years and months|1919|11|28|1925|03|01}}
| 
|-
| 4
| 
| Counter admiral<br />'''[[Hermann Salza]]'''<br />{{small|(1885–1946)}}
| 1 March 1925
| 1932
| {{age in years|1925|1932}} years
| <ref name="ETBL, 1438">{{cite web |title=Hermann von Salza |url=https://www.ies.ee/ETBL/ETBL-III.pdf |website=ETBL, 3rd volume |access-date=2 July 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 5
| 
| Naval captain<br />'''{{ill|Valentin Grenz|et}}'''<br />{{small|(1888–1944)}}
| 1 April 1934
| 4 October 1938
| {{age in years and months|1934|04|01|1938|10|04}}
| 
|-
| 6
| [[File:Valev Mere (cropped).jpg|80px]]
| Captain major<br />'''{{ill|Valev Mere|et}}'''<br />{{small|(1893–1949)}}
| 4 October 1938
| 18 September 1939
| {{age in years and months|1938|10|04|1939|09|18}}
| 
|- style="background:#efefef;"
| colspan=7| Reestablishment
|-
| 1
| 
| Naval captain<br />'''Roland Leit'''
| 1994
| 1998
| {{age in years|1994|1998}} years
| 
|-
| 2
| 
| Captain lieutenant<br />'''Jaan Kapp'''
| 1998
| 2003
| {{age in years|1998|2003}} years
| 
|-
| 3
| 
| Captain major<br />'''Ahti Piirimägi'''
| 2003
| 2007
| {{age in years|2003|2007}} years
| 
|-
| 4
| 
| Naval captain<br />'''[[Igor Schvede]]'''<br />{{small|(born 1970)}}
| 2007
| 2012
| {{age in years|2007|2012}} years
| <ref name="nato.int">{{cite web |title=Igor Schvede, Military Representative of Estonian to NATO |url=https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/who_is_who_134351.htm |website=NATO |access-date=11 March 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| 5
| 
| Naval captain<br />'''Sten Sepper'''<br />{{small|(born 1971)}}
| 23 July 2012
| 23 November 2016
| {{age in years and months|2012|7|21|2016|11|23}}
|-
| 6
| [[File:Bellingshauseni ristimine 11.06.2019 (023) Jüri Saska mereväekapten.jpg|80px]]
| Commodore<br />'''[[Jüri Saska]]'''<br />{{small|(born 1974)}}
| 1 February 2017
| 28 June 2024
| {{ayd|2017|02|01|2024|06|28}}
| <ref name="cv_defence_forces">{{Cite web|title=CV|url=https://mil.ee/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Saska_CV.pdf|access-date=4 March 2021|website=Estonian Defence Forces|language=et}}</ref><ref name="captain_lieutenant_saska_appointed_2017">{{Cite news|date=31 January 2017|title=Captain-lieutenant Saska appointed chief of Estonian Navy|work=The Baltic Times|url=https://www.baltictimes.com/lt_capt_saska_appointed_chief_of_estonian_navy/|access-date=4 March 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 7
| [[File:blank.svg|80px]]
| Commodore<br />'''[[Ivo Värk]]'''<br />{{small|(born 1974)}}
| 28 June 2024
| ''Incumbent''
| {{ayd|2024|06|28}}
|}

===Operating forces===
[[File:Estonian Navy - Organization 2024.png|thumb|right|Estonian Navy organization as of January 2024]]

The top priority for the Estonian Navy is the development of mine countermeasures capability that is also one of the Navy's peacetime responsibilities: during [[World War I]] and [[World War II]] more than 80,000 sea mines were laid in the Baltic Sea. Since 1995 a number of mine clearance operations have been carried out in Estonian waters by the [[Estonian Mineships Division]] in close co-operation with other navies of the Baltic Sea region in order to find and dispose of ordnance and contribute to safe seagoing.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mil.ee/index_eng.php?s=merevagi|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090831153454/http://www.mil.ee/index_eng.php/?s=merevagi|url-status=dead|title=Estonian Navy mine warfare|archive-date=August 31, 2009}}</ref>

The Estonian Navy uses a small number of different vessels and weapon systems. Since the restoration of the Estonian Defence Forces on 3 September 1991 and the Estonian Navy on 1 July 1993, the naval force has developed tremendously. Then-Commander Estonian Naval Defence Forces, Commodore Roland Leit, was interviewed by [[Jane's Defence Weekly]] on 9 July 1994. 'When the [[Soviet Navy]] left the Tallinn Naval Base, they sabotaged the facilities and scuttled about 10 of their ships in the harbour. They broke all the windows, all the heating, and all the electrical equipment. When they came in 1939, they took over our port facilities in good order. Now they are leaving us a mess, he said bitterly.' 'We got nothing from the Russian Navy. The ''Griff'' class patrol craft we got not from them but from a Russian firm that had bought the hulls first. Their navigation and radio systems are broken, too. We hope to have it all repaired and bring the craft into service before the end of the year.'<ref>Joris Janssen Lok, The Jane's Interview with Commodore Roland Leit, [[Jane's Defence Weekly]], 9 July 1994, p.32</ref>

Although the Soviet legacy's clean-up and military infrastructure rebuilding has taken most of the defence budget resources away from the Navy, the armament and equipment has improved a great deal.

==== Naval Flotilla ====
{{Main|List of active Estonian Navy ships|List of historic Estonian Navy ships}}
[[File:Admiral Cowan, 2010.jpg|thumb|EML ''Admiral Cowan'' (M313)]]
Although the [[Estonian Defence Forces]] have a relatively small selection of [[marine vessel]]s, the Navy still has a variety of different light-combat craft, coastal patrol-craft and support vessels. The first crafts that entered the service in the restored Estonian Navy in 1993 were mainly German background mine-layers and mine-hunters. Within the last 15 years, the Navy logistics support has increased year by year. Most of the modern navy vessels have either been received as foreign aid or been bought from Germany, Finland, United Kingdom and Denmark. In 2006, Estonia purchased three {{sclass|Sandown|minehunter}} from the UK to enhance the Estonian Navy's mine-hunting capabilities.<ref>{{cite web |title=HMS SANDOWN handed over to Estonian Navy |url=http://www.shippingtimes.co.uk/item510_SANDOWN.htm |website=www.shippingtimes.co.uk |access-date=4 July 2018 |date=27 April 2007}}</ref>

In 2012, the Estonian Navy received a former [[Estonian Maritime Administration]] vessel EVA-321. It was renamed "Lood" (A530) and became a diving support vessel.<ref>{{cite web |title=Merevägi tänapäeval |url=https://mil.ee/uksused/merevagi/#t-ajalugu-2 |website=mil.ee |language=et}}</ref>

In September 2013, it was reported that the Estonian Navy was interested in acquiring the 1979-built [[Finnish minelayer Pohjanmaa|Finnish minelayer ''Pohjanmaa'']] that had been decommissioned by the [[Finnish Navy]] and was offered for sale.<ref>[https://www.ts.fi/uutiset/537026 Viro kiinnostui miinalaiva Pohjanmaasta – neuvotteluja käydään syksyllä]. Turun Sanomat, 20 September 2013. {{retrieved|access-date=2013-09-20}}</ref>  However, all of this speculation came to nought; in March 2016, a Finnish State-owned company (Meritaito) acquired the vessel.

In July 2018, it was reported that three Sandown-class minehunters were set to be modernized between 2018 and 2019. The modernization would include improvements in mine clearance and marine surveillance capabilities. The estimated cost of the project would be €30 million.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Whyte |first1=Andrew |title=Estonian Navy to spend €30 million on minehunter modernisation |url=https://news.err.ee/844128/estonian-navy-to-spend-30-million-on-minehunter-modernisation |website=news.err.ee |access-date=4 July 2018 |language=en |date=4 July 2018}}</ref>

In April 2020, the Ministry of Defence announced that it would buy two force protection patrol boats. The boats would be manufactured by Baltic Workboats AS for a total sum of €3.9 million. They would enter service in 2021 and would be used for force protection at sea and in ports, and could also provide support for other agencies, including the [[Police and Border Guard Board]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Navy to buy force protection boats from Saaremaa company |url=https://news.err.ee/1078973/navy-to-buy-force-protection-boats-from-saaremaa-company |website=news.err.ee |publisher=ERR |date=18 April 2020}}</ref> In December 2020, the Estonian Defence Forces received the two boats and named them Roland and Risto.<ref>{{cite web |title=Saaremaal ristiti täna uhiuued mereväe väekaitsekaatrid |url=https://mil.ee/uudised/saaremaal-ristiti-tana-uhiuued-merevae-vaekaitsekaatrid/ |website=mil.ee |language=et |date=10 December 2020}}.</ref> In April 2024, Roland and Risto were donated to Ukraine.<ref>{{cite web |title=Estonia delivers two patrol boats to Ukraine |url=https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/3857013-estonia-delivers-two-patrol-boats-to-ukraine.html }}.</ref>

==== Naval Base ====
The "Merevägi" has operated a number of naval bases and war harbors, most of them being located on the western coast and the islands. Until 1939 there were more than ten smaller and bigger war harbors and bases; including Aegna, Paldiski, Virtsu, Rohuküla, Mõntu, Kuressaare, Kõiguste, Papisaare, Jaagurahu, Tagalaht, Küdema, Sõru, Kärdla, Kallaste, Mustvee and Tallinn harbor. Currently, there is only one major naval harbor [[Miinisadam Naval Base|Miinisadam]] which is located in northern Tallinn. The Miinisadam is a base for the [[Estonian Mineships Division|Mineships Division]].

== Personnel ==
Most Estonian Navy officers have been trained in European or American naval academies (notably the US Naval Academy). In 2003, the Navy established its own Centre of Naval Education and Training (CNET) to train junior petty officers.

Each Baltic State shares its limited training resources with the others.  For instance, Estonia provides communications training at the Baltic Naval Communications School in [[Tallinn]], and Latvia hosts a common Baltic Naval Diving Training Centre in [[Liepāja]].

===Ranks===
{{main|Military ranks of Estonia}}

====Commissioned officer ranks====
The rank insignia of [[commissioned officer]]s.
{| style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background-color:#f7f8ff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin: 0px 12px 12px 0px;"
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Armed Forces/OF/Blank}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Navies/OF/Estonia}}
|}

====Other ranks====
The rank insignia of [[non-commissioned officer]]s and [[Enlisted rank|enlisted personnel]].
{| style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background-color:#f7f8ff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin: 0px 12px 12px 0px;"
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Armies/OR/Blank}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of NATO Navies/OR/Estonia}}
|}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Estonia}}
*[[Finnish–Estonian defense cooperation]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.mil.ee/en/navy Estonian Navy]

{{Estonia topics|state=autocollapse}}
{{Estonian Military}}
{{Eesti Merevägi}}
{{Allied Maritime Command}}
{{Navies in Europe}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Estonian Navy| ]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1918]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1940]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1991]]
[[Category:1991 establishments in Estonia]]