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Budget · Counter-drone

Estonia's defense minister floats light jets against Russia's jet-powered drones, Defense News reports

Martin Herem, who commanded Estonia's Defence Forces until 2024, named no aircraft type, budget or timeline, and has not committed to buying anything.

· Updated

Estonia's new defense minister, Martin Herem, said the country should consider buying light jet aircraft to shoot down Russia's faster, jet-powered attack drones, Defense News reported Wednesday.1 Herem told The Baltic Sentinel and the daily Postimees that Estonia should study the option, calling air-to-air weapons the most effective counter to the drones, according to Defense News. He spoke after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.1–2 Herem took office Sept. 16 after leading the Estonian Defence Forces from 2018 to 2024 and then advising defense industry companies.3

Estonia's defense minister floats light jets to shoot down jet-powered drones

Jet-powered drone figures from Ukraine and the jet trainers Estonia uses today, as reported by Defense News, Oct. 14, 2026

More than 400 km/hspeed of jet-powered drones, according to Ukraine's defense ministry
Several thousand a monthjet-powered drones fired at Ukraine, up from a few hundred a month, between July and August
Twoleased L-39 Albatros trainers Estonia uses; a former head of its air force said in April their civilian status and lease terms would complicate arming them

Herem gave no aircraft type, budget or timeline and has not committed to buying anything, Defense News reported.

Reported by Defense News, Oct. 14, 2026. Estonian Defence Forces. Data as of Oct. 14, 2026.

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Estonia, like Latvia and Lithuania, has no fighter fleet of its own and relies on NATO allies policing its skies on rotation, Defense News reported. Herem pointed to the pilots, air-control expertise and L-39 trainers Estonia already has.1 Estonia uses two of them, at Ämari air base.1, 4 They are leased, and a former head of Estonia's air force said in April that their civilian status and lease terms would complicate arming them, according to the outlet.1

Jets are one option on a longer list. Herem told The Baltic Sentinel he is also looking at computer-controlled cannons, heavy machine guns and fast, jet-powered interceptor drones, Defense News reported.1 Jet-powered drones fired at Ukraine rose from a few hundred to several thousand a month between July and August, the outlet reported. Ukraine's defense ministry puts their speed at more than 400 kilometers per hour.1

Neither Latvia nor Lithuania has floated buying jets of its own, though Latvia is considering Embraer's A-29 Super Tucano, a light turboprop fighter, for air-defense missions, Defense News reported. Both are funding cheaper counter-drone layers, and NATO planners have repeatedly called heavy fighters against small drones disproportionately expensive. A ministry study or a budget line naming aircraft would be the first sign that Herem's idea has become an Estonian requirement.1

Clarification, October 25, 2026: We updated the link to the Defense News report. The report is dated Oct. 14, 2026, and the brief is unchanged.

Sources (4)
  1. Defense News: Estonia weighs buying light jet aircraft to shoot down Russian jet-powered drones (Oct. 14, 2026) www.defensenews.com
  2. Estonian Ministry of Defence: Herem in Kyiv: Ukrainian experience will help develop Baltic Defence Line (Oct. 11, 2026) www.kaitseministeerium.ee
  3. Estonian Ministry of Defence: Minister of Defence www.kaitseministeerium.ee
  4. Estonian Defence Forces: Air Force mil.ee
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Budget · Light attack

A two-ship formation of A-29 Super Tucanos fly over Kabul, Afghanistan during a mission on April 28, 2016.
Archive photograph · A two-ship formation of A-29 Super Tucanos fly over Kabul, Afghanistan during a mission on April 28, 2016. Staff Sgt. Larry Reid Jr. / DVIDS Taken 2016-04-28. public-domain; reuse terms. The appearance of U.S. Department of War (DoW) visual information does not imply or constitute DoW endorsement.

Air Force divests its A-29 fleet, Breaking Defense reports

Breaking Defense reports the Air Force plans to store its three Super Tucanos with SNC after the aircraft did not meet test pilot school needs.

The Air Force has divested its three A-29 Super Tucanos at Edwards Air Force Base, the service’s only examples of the Embraer-made turboprop, Breaking Defense reported.1

The aircraft are not expected to return to flight for Air Force use

three A-29 Super Tucanos

SNCplans to sole-source a contractplanned

the service plans to sole-source a contract with SNC to store the aircraft

storage contracta single base year and two option yearsplanned

the storage contract would have a single base year and two option years

Reported by Breaking Defense, Nov. 3, 2026

Sources
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An Edwards spokesperson told the outlet that the aircraft had been thoroughly evaluated but did not meet the intended use for the Air Force Test Pilot School.1

Air Force Special Operations Command originally bought the aircraft, then relinquished them after mission requirements changed, the outlet reported, citing a 2024 Air Force release. The test pilot school subsequently took them to assess whether they could meet its test needs.1

An Oct. 29 Air Force notice outlined plans for a sole-source contract with SNC to store the aircraft. The planned contract would have one base year and two option years. The notice said the aircraft were not expected to return to flight for Air Force use.1

Embraer assembles A-29s in Jacksonville, Florida, where SNC installs mission equipment for U.S. and specific foreign military sales customers. Embraer officials have said that the Jacksonville line could be at risk without sufficient demand; the company also operates a separate Super Tucano production facility in Brazil.1

Officials are exploring future options for a sustainable spin and mission systems aircraft for the test pilot school, the Edwards spokesperson told Breaking Defense.1

Sources (1)
  1. Air Force divests its few A-29s, explores ‘future options’, Breaking Defense, Nov. 3, 2026 breakingdefense.com
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Contracts · Airlift

U.S. Air Force, Army, and Portuguese Air Force members assemble for a group photo at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, July 15, 2024.
Archive photograph · U.S. Air Force, Army, and Portuguese Air Force members assemble for a group photo at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, July 15, 2024. Airman Dylan Myers / DVIDS Taken 2024-07-15. public-domain; reuse terms. The appearance of U.S. Department of War (DoW) visual information does not imply or constitute DoW endorsement.

Greece orders three Embraer KC-390 transports

The government-to-government deal through Portugal includes options for three more aircraft, with first delivery planned for 2027.

Greece's Ministry of National Defense signed a contract on Nov. 2 for three Embraer KC-390 Millennium aircraft, with options for three more. The purchase runs through a government-to-government agreement with Portugal.1

Greece orders three KC-390s, with options for three more

Embraer KC-390 Millennium contract signed Nov. 2, 2026

threeAircraft under signed contract
threeAdditional aircraft options
2027First delivery planned

The additional three aircraft are options in the signed contract.

Source: Embraer. As of Nov. 2, 2026.

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Breaking Defense reported that Greece chose the Millennium to replace its aging Lockheed Martin C-130H fleet.2 The purchase also offers a refueling role: Embraer says the aircraft can operate as a tanker when configured with quick-installation air-to-air refueling equipment.1

According to Breaking Defense, a Greek parliamentary committee reportedly approved procurement and follow-on support of three aircraft in June, with an expected budget of roughly €600 million.2 Embraer's signing announcement gives no contract value.1

The Greek order adds a delivery commitment beginning in 2027, when Embraer says the Hellenic Air Force will receive its first aircraft.1 Breaking Defense reports that Embraer aims to increase annual C-390 production to 10 aircraft by the end of the decade.2

Sources (2)
  1. Embraer: Greece acquires up to six Embraer KC-390 Millennium Multi-Mission Aircraft www.embraer.com
  2. Breaking Defense: Greece inks deal for KC-390 fleet breakingdefense.com
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