Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal and his accompanying delegation visited Nurol Makina, one of Türkiye’s leading armored land vehicle manufacturers, while in Türkiye for the NATO Ankara Summit. Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur also took part in the visit. During the program, the delegation received detailed information about the company’s production infrastructure, engineering capabilities and armored vehicle solutions.

The meetings held at Nurol Makina’s facilities drew attention as a sign of the developing defense industry relations between Türkiye and Estonia. During the discussions, current user experience and potential areas of future cooperation were evaluated. Test drives were also carried out with armored vehicles produced by Nurol Makina, allowing the Estonian delegation to directly observe the field performance of Turkish land platforms.

Estonia had previously selected 100 NMS EWB 4x4 vehicles produced by Nurol Makina for the needs of its defense forces. NMS EWB 4x4, the extended-wheelbase version of the YÖRÜK family, was customized according to Estonia’s requirements. Quality, sustainability and rapid delivery timelines were cited as key factors behind the selection, while integrated logistics support provided during the service period also contributed to user satisfaction.

In his assessment of Turkish armored vehicles, Prime Minister Michal stated that Estonia is a reference country for these vehicles, adding that the army is satisfied with them and that the systems are used in different roles. This statement shows that Turkish armored vehicles have delivered positive results not only during the procurement phase, but also in operational use. The active participation of Nurol Makina vehicles in multinational NATO exercises held in Estonia is also an important indicator of their compatibility with allied mission environments.

Estonia’s effort to diversify its defense supply chain with reliable partners beyond Western and Northern Europe is considered a strategic step for Baltic security. Türkiye stands out in this process with its armored land vehicle capabilities, engineering expertise, logistics support and ability to provide customized solutions. The fact that Turkish companies have gained responsibilities in Estonia under equal competitive conditions against international rivals is an important development strengthening Türkiye’s position in the European defense market.

This visit increased Nurol Makina’s visibility in the Baltic region while reinforcing the reliable solution partnership model established by the Turkish defense industry with NATO member countries. Estonia’s previous selection of Turkish armored vehicles, the high level of user satisfaction after deployment and the visit of a senior political delegation to the production facilities all indicate that Türkiye-Estonia defense cooperation may deepen with new projects in the coming period.