Estonia plans to extend compulsory military service to 12 months for all conscripts starting in 2027, under reforms proposed by the government.
A draft bill submitted by Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur states that the longer service period is needed because training has become more extensive and technically demanding, especially with the introduction of new weapons systems.
At present, Estonia runs two service lengths: 11 months for those who begin at the start of the year, and eight months for those who start in autumn. The 11-month cycle applies to armored infantry, military drivers, military police, communications and IT roles, non-commissioned officer and officer training, and all Navy personnel. Other roles — including riflemen, weapons specialists, engineers, and air-defense personnel — currently serve eight months.
According to the bill’s explanatory notes, these shorter cycles no longer provide consistent training quality or allow for a balanced workload across different specialties. New training plans will place greater focus on combat readiness and ensuring that conscripts are fully prepared to carry out their duties in both peacetime and wartime.
This work requires more time, the document says, from basic soldiering skills to operating technical systems and practicing teamwork and tactics at squad and unit level. Such training, it argues, cannot be guaranteed within the current shorter service period.
The change will apply to anyone beginning their service on or after January 1, 2027. The government estimates the direct cost at €31 million for that year. Conscripts who start in 2026 but continue into 2027 will still serve 11 months.
Read more via ERR