Estonia considers buying drones from Portugal’s Tekever

Estonia is considering buying drones from Portuguese technology company Tekever through an ongoing public procurement process, Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur told ECO/eRadar, in a sign of potential export growth for Portugal’s defence industry.

Asked about industrial ties between the two countries in defence, Pevkur said cooperation with Portugal had been increasing and pointed to Tekever as one example. He said the company had been “very active” in Estonia, as well as in the UK and other countries, and had maintained close contact with Estonia’s armed forces.

When asked whether Estonia was weighing a purchase of Tekever drones, Pevkur said: “We are in that process. A public procurement procedure is under way. So yes, that possibility exists. However, naturally, I cannot confirm that today precisely because it is a public procurement procedure.” Estonia is the latest country where Tekever has opened an office.

The comments come as Estonia steps up defence spending and military capabilities in response to the threat from Russia. Pevkur said the country had raised core defence spending to more than 5% of GDP and was expanding its capabilities across air, sea and land, while stressing that allies remain essential.

Originally published at Eco.pt