Estonia is to introduce a uniform 12-month period of conscription for all draftees and raise the number called up for compulsory military service to 4,100 by 2027.

Until now, most conscripts have served for 11 months, with a smaller number completing eight months of service.

Under the new system, conscription will take place twice a year – in the eighth and 34th weeks – rather than the current three intakes, according to the Estonian defence ministry.

“In the coming years, the Estonian Defence Forces will receive several high-level weapons systems, including medium-range air defence. Such complex equipment requires well-trained national defenders,” the defence minister, Hanno Pevkur, said in a statement.

“A uniform 12-month period of military service ensures that our conscripts receive the best possible training and guarantees a stronger defence force capable of meeting the technical and tactical demands of modern national defence,” he added.

A group of Estonian soldiers on a training exercise. The image is illustrative. Photo by the Estonian Defence Forces.

In 2027, a total of 4,100 young people will be called up for service, distributed as follows: the Division, 2,554; the Air Force, 364; Cyber Command, 344; the Navy, 322; the Military Police, 300; the Support Command, 102; the Special Operations Command, 100; and the Intelligence Centre, 14.

During the uniform 12-month service, conscripts will undergo six months of intensive general and specialised training, followed by a six-month operational phase of combat duty, during which skills will be systematically reinforced.

This structure ensures the necessary depth of training and a consistent standard across all specialisations, the ministry said.