Estonia tests competing sniper rifles ahead of tender award
Estonia is evaluation sniper rifles from four manufacturers. (Photo: ECDI)
The Estonian Defence Forces has carried out firing trials of four 8.6mm sniper rifles ahead of a final selection later this spring.
The Estonian Centre for Defence Investment (ECDI) has announced a tender for procurement of sniper weapons for the Estonian Defence Forces and the Defence League, with test firings carried out on 7 March to assess the technical suitability of the weapons.
The test firing will determine accuracy and reliability of the weapon, optical sight and other accessories.
The weapons being tested are from Sako, Haenel, Unique Alpine and Desert Tech and include accessories selected by the tenderers and fitted on the weapons.
Related Articles
Seven contenders for Estonian medium-range air defence requirement
Ukraine conflict prompts precision strike and artillery shift in the Baltics
Japan selects new sniper rifles and machine guns
Each bidder has assembled a proposed system with freely selected accessories and equipment in compliance with the requirements of the ECDI.
Major Risto Pärtel, chief weapons officer of the Estonian Defence Forces, said: 'Using the new rifles, it [sniper missions] can be done at any time of the day, as the weapons are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment like silencers and thermal weapon sights. In addition to high accuracy, the weapons must also be robust and as compact and light as possible.'
The selected rifle will replace the current Sako TRG-42 in service and must be accurate over distances of up to 1,500m.
Evaluation criteria include cost of the rifle and accessories, weight and length, barrel life and the cost of spare parts.
Once test firings are complete and results have been evaluated, a contract will be awarded to the successful company in Q2 2023. The expected delivery date for the new sniper weapons is 2024.
More from Land Warfare
-
![US Army seeks nearly $900 million to accelerate development and acquisition of CUAS capabilities]()
US Army seeks nearly $900 million to accelerate development and acquisition of CUAS capabilities
The branch plans to speed up the building and procurement of kinetic and non-kinetic systems for fixed, semi-fixed and on-the-move operations.
-
![Large 10×10 vehicles go in search of a role]()
Large 10×10 vehicles go in search of a role
Wheeled vehicles ranging in size from 4×4 to 8×8 provide high-speed at a good level of mobility compared to tracked. However, tracked can be larger and have a higher level of mobility in marginal terrain with a smaller turning circle. What are the possibilities for a 10×10?
-
![Borsuk IFV programme marks turning point for Poland’s armoured modernisation]()
Borsuk IFV programme marks turning point for Poland’s armoured modernisation
The Borsuk vehicles are to replace the Soviet-designed BMP-1 as the Polish military’s main tracked Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV).
-
![DroneShield nets largest order ever with $40 million European CUAS contract]()
DroneShield nets largest order ever with $40 million European CUAS contract
The package of three standalone follow-on contracts makes this the largest contract won by the Australian company and larger than its total 2024 revenue.
-
![Patria completes test firing of new self-propelled gun as demand for systems grows]()
Patria completes test firing of new self-propelled gun as demand for systems grows
Patria quotes a maximum rate of fire of eight rounds a minute from the new ARVE (ARtillery on VEhicle) self-propelled gun with a range of 40km for an assisted round. The rapid, low-risk development is designed to meet emerging requirements which have arisen out of the Ukraine war.
