The Ministry of Defence and Nordecon AS signed a procurement contract this week for launching the design and construction work on barracks in Tapa that will house NATO troops.
“Estonia wants to be a good host for its allies. Their presence depends largely on the training and service conditions we can offer,” said Ingvar Pärnamäe, the Ministry of Defence undersecretary for defence investments, who signed the procurement contract. “The new barracks will be built for the allied units serving in Estonia on the basis of the rotation and also for allied troops that stay here for shorter periods during exercises.”
Chairman of the management board of Nordecon AS Jaano Vink commented: “It is a pleasure to note that we once again have a chance to prove to a very demanding customer that the Nordecon team is able to build quality facilities for both the Estonian Defence Forces and its allies.”
The three-storey barracks planned for the Tapa military base will accommodate 300, with 13 classrooms, 32 workstations, rooms for various warehouses, equipment maintenance and simulators for teaching purposes. The building will have about 5,100 m2 in enclosed floor space. The design follows the example of the barracks and instructional building at the Battle School in Võru, part of the National Defence College.
The barracks are planned to be completed next spring. The cost, including value-added tax, will be 4.6 million euros, and funding will come from the Estonian Government’s earmark for hosting allies.
In February, the Cabinet approved a package of measures to support a permanent NATO presence, allocating 40 million euros over the next five years to build the necessary infrastructure and improve training conditions for Estonia’s allies. In addition to the barracks, the infrastructure for the National Force Integration Unit consisting of up to 50 people in Tallinn is planned. It is also planned to establish conditions to allow mechanized battalion equipment and armaments to be pre-positioned in Estonia. Another priority is developing training opportunities on the Defence Forces’ central artillery range so that Estonian and other NATO member states’ units could train there using heavy equipment.
The NATO allies have reacted rapidly to the sudden change in the security environment last year, increasing their military presence in Estonia severalfold. Starting last spring, US army units have been rotated into country constantly to carry out training. The allied contingent is currently housed in container barracks.