Estonian Centre for Defence Investments revamps sniper rifle provision
The SAKO TRG M10 comes with both an optical and a thermal sight. (Photo: ECDI/Kermo Pastarus)
Estonia upgrades its sniper rifle for better, longer precision.
The Estonian Centre for Defence Investments (ECDI) has announced a renewal of its sniper rifle arsenal. In late August 2024, Defence Force and Defence League snipers conducted firing exercises at the Sirgala training ground with newly delivered specialised weapons that would replace many of the sniper rifles previously in use.
Finnish company SAKO won the tender to supply new sniper rifles and the ECDI-distributed SAKO TRG M10s to the snipers. Given their previous use of the company’s rifles, the exercises in August to align the sights on the M10s did not require ground-up learning of the rifle’s profile.
The TRG M10 is equipped with both an optical and thermal sight, as well as a sound suppressor. Compared to previous models, the effectiveness of the weapon has been enhanced in various weather conditions and lighting situations. The new sniper rifle also has a modular design, delivering greater flexibility in terms of assembling the weapon system. The bolt-action weapon is available in three calibres: .308 Win, .300 Win Mag and .338 Lapua Mag with a short or long forestock.
Related Articles
Estonia tests competing sniper rifles ahead of tender award
Sako to deliver firearms for Finnish military training
Captain Ahti Habanen, chief armourer of the Estonian Defence Forces, said the upgrades to the weapon would enhance its firing accuracy, speed and impact, adding that depending on conditions, the shooter could now choose between two barrels: with the shorter barrel, the weapon covered a distance of around 1km (more than half a miles), but with the longer barrel, it could hit targets up to 1.5km (almost a mile) away. That is significantly further than they could reach with their old rifle, the TRG 42, also from SAKO.
Ramil Lipp, strategic category manager (armaments) for ECDI who organised the procurement of the new sniper rifles, explained why the time was right for the upgrade.
“The SAKO TRG M10 is a well-known and widely-used sniper rifle globally, being in service in several neighbouring countries,” Lipp remarked. “For instance, Sweden has acquired a similar configuration in addition to other SAKO weapons. It is gratifying to see that a mature system in active production by our northern neighbours has reached Estonia, thus renewing our top shooting capability.”
You may also like
More from Land Warfare
-
![DroneShield sets sights on Europe thanks to surge in CUAS demand]()
DroneShield sets sights on Europe thanks to surge in CUAS demand
The Australian-based CUAS technology specialist is responding to a marked shift in global appetite as it looks to branch out to an unspecified western European country early next year.
-
![DSEI 2025: Rheinmetall adds Lockheed Martin missile punch to Fuchs vehicle]()
DSEI 2025: Rheinmetall adds Lockheed Martin missile punch to Fuchs vehicle
The combination of the Rheinmetall platform with Lockheed Martin missiles is seen as the bringing together of mature systems to provide a capability in the medium term, but trials could be as long as 12 months away.
-
![DSEI 2025: Skyranger air defence system gets tracks]()
DSEI 2025: Skyranger air defence system gets tracks
The Skyranger is in service with Austria, Denmark and Germany in the 30mm variant on wheeled vehicles, while Ukraine is receiving the system fitted to the Leopard 1 tank chassis, but this is the first sight of the 35mm on a tracked vehicle.
-
![Information advantage: what is a data fabric and why is it essential for armed forces?]()
Information advantage: what is a data fabric and why is it essential for armed forces?
In Conversation: Shephard's Gerrard Cowan talks to Systematic’s Chris Harris about the vital importance of data fabrics in the networked battlespace, and how this capability can already be provided by existing technology.
-
![DSEI 2025: MBDA introduces NLOS Akeron 120 MBT missile]()
DSEI 2025: MBDA introduces NLOS Akeron 120 MBT missile
The no-line-of-sight (NLOS) missile is MBDA’s latest ammunition offering for main battle tanks (MBTs), with the company foreseeing an entry to market date window for Akeron within the next two years.
-
![DSEI 2025: Teledyne takes wraps off autonomous launch recovery box for drones]()
DSEI 2025: Teledyne takes wraps off autonomous launch recovery box for drones
Teledyne FLIR Defense revealed the SkyPad fully autonomous quadcopter launch and recovery box at AUSA in Washington DC last year. The SkyCarrier is the production version of the system and is designed for the launch and recovery of the company’s SkyRaider and SkyRanger uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs).
