Estonia Seeks Suppliers for €31 Million UAV Warhead and Payload Program

Estonia is seeking defense manufacturers for a procurement program worth up to €31 million covering unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) warheads, payload containers and associated equipment, with companies given until October 16 to apply for participation.

The procurement is being managed by the Estonian National Defence Investment Centre (RKIK) and is intended to establish long-term supply arrangements with manufacturers capable of developing and producing equipment for military drones. Unlike conventional UAV acquisitions, the competition focuses on the equipment carried by unmanned aircraft rather than the aircraft themselves.

The procurement is divided into three lots, according to the European Union's Tenders Electronic Daily notice. The largest, valued at up to €18 million, covers warheads, while a separate €7 million lot concerns unfilled warhead containers. Another €6 million is reserved for equipment and attachments used with UAVs. Companies may compete for more than one lot, and the framework agreements are expected to run for up to four years. The published notice does not specify fixed quantities, meaning the €31 million represents the overall procurement ceiling rather than a confirmed purchase of equipment.

The requirements extend beyond the initial delivery of hardware. Estonia is also seeking training versions of the equipment and lifecycle support, placing additional obligations on manufacturers to sustain the systems after procurement.

The process uses a restricted procedure in which interested suppliers must first demonstrate their eligibility before selected companies are invited to submit full tenders. The October 16 deadline therefore concerns applications to participate in the competition, not the award of contracts.

The procurement comes as Estonia expands investment in unmanned systems, drawing on operational lessons from the war in Ukraine and the growing role of inexpensive drones on the battlefield.

In May 2026, Prime Minister Kristen Michal announced plans for €364 million in defense investments over four years to strengthen Estonia's drone capabilities. The government has also pursued changes to the legal framework governing drone detection and interception, alongside efforts to strengthen military capabilities and the protection of critical infrastructure.

The new procurement addresses a separate requirement: the munitions and equipment that determine what military UAVs can carry and deploy. Estonia's decision to procure these products through multi-year framework agreements could allow the armed forces to source different payload configurations without committing to fixed quantities at the outset. No winning suppliers have been announced, and the final value of purchases will depend on subsequent orders under the agreements.

The procurement is listed under reference 313545 in the RKIK procurement plan, with the updated competition notice published on September 30, 2026.