Estonia is hosting one of the largest military exercises in its history. Known as exercise Hedgehog 25 — or Siil 2025 in Estonian — the operation sees 16,000 troops take part in a sweeping, multinational defence drill that spans the entire country. It’s a test of how Estonia and other NATO Allies would respond together in the face of a crisis.
Led by the Estonian Defence Forces, Hedgehog 25 focuses on strengthening Estonia’s defence posture in close coordination with NATO Allies, particularly France and the United Kingdom. The exercise demonstrates the rapid deployment of Allied troops to Estonian territory and their seamless integration with local units.
Simultaneously, the combat readiness of Estonia’s reservists, the Estonian Defence League, and regular forces are put to the test. The troops face diverse, complex scenarios, from river-crossings to armoured manoeuvres, designed to sharpen decision-making, improve tactical coordination, and ensure operational standards are met across the board. Exercise Hedgehog runs from 5 to 23 May.
Click here to download the b-roll. Footage includes Estonian, French and UK soldiers, Challenger 2 tanks, Warrior fighting vehicles, Titan and Trojan armoured engineering vehicles. Soundbites from Lieutenant Colonel Grant Brown, Commander of 1 Mercian Battlegroup (Estonia) of the British Army.
