Estonia in talks with Anduril over "Barracuda" loitering munitions

Estonia has opened negotiations with U.S.-based defence firm Anduril Industries over the potential acquisition of Barracuda loitering munitions, Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said on Friday, July 10.

Speaking to national broadcaster ERR, Pevkur said the system was among the options under consideration as Tallinn seeks to strengthen its military capabilities.

“This is one of the possible options. The U.S. company Anduril produces the Barracuda missile, and we are also interested in acquiring it,” he said.

Pevkur added that a final decision would depend on the overall cost of the munitions and the operational requirements of the Estonian Defence Forces.

The talks come as Estonia continues to expand its defence procurement strategy. Earlier, Pevkur said the ministry also plans to purchase unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and long-range strike systems from Ukraine under an existing bilateral agreement on defence cooperation in unmanned systems between Tallinn and Kyiv.

By Tamilla Hasanova