BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. Estonia has established the Force Transformation Command (FTC) to accelerate the development of its national defense capabilities through innovation, sustainability, and stronger cooperation between the military, academia, and industry, Commander of the Force Transformation Command of Estonia Major Ivo Peets told Trend.
According to the Estonian Defence Forces, the new command’s main mission is to ensure that Estonia’s growing defense investments translate into lasting and systemic improvements to the country’s combat readiness. The FTC’s activities will focus on three core priorities: strengthening the defense ecosystem, ensuring sustainability, and promoting innovation across all branches of the Estonian Defence Forces.
“The goal is to make the entire system more agile, better connected, and open to contributions from all relevant actors, both within Estonia and among our international partners. Every available resource and idea must contribute to strengthening national defense,” the Defence Forces said.
One of the FTC’s key tasks will be to build stronger links between the defense industry, academic institutions, the private sector, and allied partners. This integrated approach aims to ensure that new technologies and capabilities are developed and deployed based on operational needs.
In its initial phase, the FTC will focus on two flagship programs: the Unmanned Systems and Counter-Systems Program and the Baltic Defence Belt Enhancement Program.
The first program will develop and integrate autonomous and unmanned technologies across air, land, and maritime domains, while also creating countermeasures against similar systems. The second program will strengthen Estonia’s defensive posture by enhancing border security, infrastructure, and readiness across land, sea, air, space, and cyber domains.
“These initiatives will make Estonia’s defensive systems more integrated, resilient, and increasingly automated, reflecting our commitment to future-ready defense capabilities,” the Defence Forces noted.
In addition to these strategic programs, the FTC will work to address immediate operational gaps and establish a unified innovation management system linking technological development with doctrine, training, and logistics.
A new “from problem to integration” model will be introduced to involve defense companies earlier in the capability development process. Through a “one-door policy,” industry partners will have a single point of contact for proposals and cooperation, ensuring faster communication and more coordinated outcomes.
“Industry will be brought much closer to the real problems we are trying to solve. This means early engagement, faster feedback, and better alignment between military needs and industrial capabilities,” the Defence Forces explained.
The establishment of Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) within service branches will further enhance cooperation. These CTOs will act as technical liaisons between operational units and private-sector partners, ensuring a continuous flow of practical solutions from concept to field deployment.
A major focus of the FTC is the efficient use of national resources and expertise. Estonia plans to engage reservists not only as operational reinforcements but also as contributors to force design and development.
“Within our reserve, we have engineers, software developers, and system architects whose skills are essential to future capability development. By integrating their civilian expertise, we can improve planning precision and innovation quality without starting from scratch,” the Defence Forces said.
New integration teams, partly composed of reservists, will test and adopt emerging technologies across existing structures, ensuring rapid adaptation and implementation.
This approach reflects Estonia’s broader strategy of mobilizing its highly skilled workforce, innovative private sector, and flexible reserve system to build modern, sustainable military capabilities.
The Force Transformation Command has already begun its work, with full operational capacity targeted for January 2026. By mid-2026, the command aims to have its complete organizational structure and processes in place, enabling it to perform all core functions independently.
“Our success will be measured not only by new technologies or systems introduced but by how effectively we can sustain and evolve our defense capabilities over time,” the Defence Forces concluded.
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