Maryland National Guard Deepens Military Partnership with Estonia During NATO Exercise

Troops from the Maryland National Guard joined more than 16,000 NATO and partner forces in Võru, Estonia, from May 12 to 16, for Exercise Hedgehog, Estonia’s largest recurring military training operation. The multi-nation event, which simulates real-world combat scenarios, is designed to improve planning, coordination, and battlefield effectiveness among allies. The Maryland National Guard’s role centered on fire support coordination, a core component of their longstanding partnership with Estonia under the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program (SPP).

Established in 1993, the partnership between Maryland and Estonia is one of the oldest in the SPP, which connects U.S. states with foreign nations to foster security cooperation. Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 107th Field Artillery Detachment 1, played a significant role in the exercise. Their fire support teams, made up of forward observers, radio telephone operators, and team leaders, worked closely with NATO counterparts to direct artillery and air strike operations. This included coordination with Joint Terminal Air Controllers, enhancing multi-domain operational readiness.

Participating alongside U.S. Army units such as Able Battery of the 3rd Battalion, 321st Field Artillery Regiment and Apache Troop of the 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, the Maryland troops supported large-scale combined arms operations. The exercise also involved soldiers from multiple NATO countries including the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Latvia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Poland, and Portugal. These collaborations further strengthen NATO’s ability to respond quickly and cohesively to regional threats.

Support elements from Maryland’s 107th Field Artillery Detachment operated out of a concealed tactical operations center, issuing real-time directives to field teams. Leaders in the fire support role offered technical expertise that has helped Estonian forces refine their fire control systems and develop air-ground integration tactics. The Maryland Guard’s continued involvement in recurring drills such as Spring Storm and previous iterations of Exercise Hedgehog underlines their ongoing commitment to building joint capability at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels.

This latest training evolution serves as a reflection of the growing military integration between the U.S. and Estonia and highlights the operational success of the State Partnership Program. The consistent exchange of knowledge and joint mission execution illustrates how partnerships at the state level can contribute meaningfully to broader NATO defense goals.

Article by multiple RFHC contributors, based upon information from a press release issued by the 70th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, U.S. Army.

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