British Troops in Estonia Deploy Long-Range "Nyan" Strike Drones

British soldiers at the Tapa military base in northern Estonia, a NATO member state, have deployed "Nyan" unmanned aircraft systems. Their range exceeds 250 kilometres, and they are intended for strikes on targets at long distance.

How the drone arrived in Estonia

British Army spokeswoman Melissa Terry said the allies brought the "Nyan" drones to Estonia in the spring for the "Kevadtorm" ("Spring Storm") exercise. They have been used in exercises in Estonia ever since. According to her, the system gives the British Army long-range precision strike capability, complements existing fire support and allows it to engage distant targets. It also strengthens the UK's contribution to NATO deterrence and defence, and helps integrate the new capabilities with targeting, mission planning and digital fire control systems. For operational security reasons, the British do not disclose how many systems are in use.

About the drone

"Nyan" is a British-made expendable drone, described as a "One Way Effector". It is built by the defence company BAE Systems. The drone is powered by a jet engine, has a wingspan of 2.9 metres, a maximum take-off weight above 75 kilograms and a payload below 20 kilograms. The manufacturer states its speed is around 220 kilometres per hour. It is launched with a pneumatic catapult. The British Army uses two Estonian-made launch systems for it: the "Ely PL80" and the "Threod CATA BT".

What came before

In July in Tallinn, Estonia and the United Kingdom signed a defence cooperation action plan that ended the earlier armed-unit concept. The British unit that arrived in Estonia ten years ago was built around "Challenger 2" main battle tanks and "Warrior" infantry fighting vehicles. The new unit is equipped with highly mobile vehicles, modern weapon systems and drones designed specifically for Estonia's operational environment.