Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur has sent a draft law for consultation. This draft bill standardizes the duration of conscription across all specialties.
Currently, conscription lasts either 8 or 11 months. Those who study armored infantry, motor vehicle driving, military police, or communication and information technology serve for 11 months. Those serving in the navy also train for 11 months.
In other specialties, such as riflemen, weapons specialists, engineers, and air defense specialists, conscription lasts 8 months.
The new draft bill plans to change the duration of conscription to 12 months. This change will take effect from January 1, 2027.
The reason for the change is that the current training is insufficient. The new plan aims to practice combat readiness and technical skills more extensively.
Those who start conscription in 2026 will still serve 11 months. The change will apply to those who begin conscription in 2027 or later.
Extending conscription requires more funding. Additional costs of 31 million euros are estimated for 2027.