Estonian minister warns NATO jets can't fly without national helicopter rescue capability
Interior Minister Igor Taro says Estonia must guarantee helicopter rescue coverage for NATO air defense, seeking funding for five new police helicopters.
Estonian Interior Minister Igor Taro has stressed that the country must provide helicopter-based rescue coverage to meet NATO air defense requirements. He is requesting government funding for five new police helicopters and one surveillance aircraft, costing €249 million.
Taro explained that NATO fighter jets will not enter Estonian airspace without rapid life-saving capability. According to agreements, at least two helicopters must be operational at all times — one for civilian rescue missions and one on standby for defense needs. Currently, the scenario where all three police helicopters are unable to fly occurs seven percent of the time.
Veiko Kommusaar, Deputy Director General of the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) for border management, stated that maintaining readiness with only three aging helicopters is no longer sufficient. In 2024, helicopter availability was nearly three times lower than in the previous two years due to extended maintenance and spare parts delays.
The PPA also needs a new fixed-wing aircraft, as the current one is unavailable for about one-third of the year due to maintenance, and its capabilities do not meet growing demands. Limited availability has prevented Estonia from contributing to Frontex missions at the desired scale.
In recent years, the PPA Air Unit has handled around 100 medical flight requests annually. From 2022 to July of this year, helicopters responded more than 100 times to situations requiring rescue from water or medical evacuation from vessels.
If funding is approved, the PPA would receive three new helicopters by 2031 and all five by 2033.
Taro also discussed other Interior Ministry funding needs, including salary increases for police and rescue workers, though he did not specify amounts. He criticized the Reform Party's proposed €400 million in cuts, saying previous cuts have already caused significant harm. Over the last 10–15 years, internal security has seen reductions in staffing, patrol numbers, fire station crews, and equipment operators. In some counties, there are no police patrols at night due to these cuts.
