The Estonian Special Operations Command today announced the introduction of new assault rifles and pistols for its operators.
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Press Release, Tallinn, 10 February 2021: [auto-translated] This year, the Defence Forces Special Operations Command will replace service weapons, the new weapons being the Heckler & Koch 416 assault rifle and the Glock 19 pistol.
“The H&K 416 is a weapon of a fighting soldier. Accuracy, reliability in difficult conditions, ease of handling, the addition of accessories necessary for Special Forces are crucial. This resulted in the choice of the Special Operations Command from among many other high-quality weapons,” said Lieutenant Colonel Margus Kuul, Commander of the Special Operations Command.
Until 2021, the Special Operations Command has used the Heckler & Koch G-36 assault rifle and the USP pistol, both of which have been used by Estonian Special Operators in missions in Afghanistan.
The main task of the Special Operations Command, which reports directly to the Commander of the Defence Forces, is to develop unusual military capabilities in Estonian national defence. In addition, the unit’s tasks include special intelligence and surveillance, military support and direct attack tasks.