Estonia signs €17-million grenade deal with Rheinmetall to boost defence readiness

Estonia’s Centre for Defence Investments has signed a multi-year contract with German defence company Rheinmetall Waffe Munition ARGES GmbH for the supply of both offensive and defensive hand grenades for the Estonian Defence Forces.

According to ERR, the contract is valued at approximately €17 million and covers deliveries over the next four years. Initial shipments are expected to begin in the second half of 2025.

Under the agreement, defensive (fragmentation) grenades will be delivered through 2026 and 2027, while offensive grenades will be supplied between 2026 and 2029.

Ramil Lipp, head of the Armament Department at the Centre for Defence Investments, emphasised the strategic importance of the contract in light of current security conditions.

Captain Tõnis Tulp, head of the Ammunition Department at the Defence Forces General Staff, noted that hand grenades are an integral part of the Estonian military’s combat gear and are regularly used in training exercises. He added that the new contract will not only support ongoing training needs but also expand national stockpiles amid evolving defence priorities.

By Khagan Isayev