1st Infantry Brigade (Estonia)


The 1st Infantry Brigade is an infantry brigade of the Estonian Land Forces. It is the primary military unit in Northern Estonia. The brigade headquarters is based at Tapa.

History

On 25 April 1917, the 2nd Naval Fortress Regiment of the Peter the Great's Naval Fortress was formed in Tallinn, recruited from Estonians. In May 1917, the regiment was renamed 1st Estonian Infantry Regiment. From 1918 to 1920, the unit fought in the Estonian War of Independence. The unit was disbanded after the Soviet occupation in 1940.
On 1 February 2003, the 1st Infantry Brigade was formed in Tallinn. In 2006, the brigade headquarters was moved to Paldiski. On 1 January 2009, the brigade was formed around three battalions: Scouts Battalion, Kalev Infantry Battalion, and the Combat Service Support Battalion. On 1 August 2014, Viru Infantry Battalion, Engineer Battalion, Air Defence Battalion and Artillery Battalion of the former North-Eastern Defence District were added to the 1st Infantry Brigade and headquarters was moved to Tapa.

Current structure

1st Infantry Brigade:
Around 1800 conscripts are serving at different units of the brigade at the same time along with professional soldiers.

Equipment

Brigade units is armed with CV90 infantry fighting vehicles, Pasi armoured personnel carriers, FH70 and D30 howitzers, Mistral and ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft systems and Javelin anti-tank missiles. The Brigade uses a fleet of MB Unimog, MB Actros, Volvo FMX, DAF trucks, BV-206 amphibious carriers and MB GD240 jeeps.

List of commanders