During the meeting between Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur and Paula J. Hartley, Vice President of the American defense industry company Lockheed Martin, in Washington, an agreement was reached that Lockheed Martin will establish a service center for the HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems in Estonia, which will service all Baltic countries.
After the meeting, Defense Minister Pevkur noted that the arrival of one of the world's largest defense industry companies in Estonia is a sign of trust and readiness to begin long-term cooperation between Estonia and Lockheed Martin. "We have made significant efforts to attract Lockheed Martin to Estonia, and I hope today's agreement will mark the beginning of a broader and long-term partnership," said Pevkur.
According to Pevkur, Lockheed Martin plans to establish a service center within two years, with an initial investment of around 10 million euros. "We also discussed the possibility of further expanding Lockheed Martin's presence, and according to Vice President Hartley, the prospects for expanding the initiated cooperation are quite positive."
The meeting also resulted in an agreement that a Lockheed Martin delegation will arrive in Estonia as soon as possible, possibly as early as next week.
Lockheed Martin is an American defense industry giant that, in addition to HIMARS systems, produces fifth-generation fighter jets F-35, Patriot air defense systems, and Black Hawk helicopters.
