väed

Väed is an Estonian term meaning "forces" and is commonly used to refer to the organized armed forces of a country, especially the military. In everyday and official use it denotes the institutions and personnel responsible for national defence, as distinct from police, border guards, or civilian security agencies.

In Estonia, väed typically refers to the Estonian Defence Forces and its reserve components. The structure generally includes land forces, air forces, and maritime forces, with growing emphasis on cyber defence and information security as part of national defence. Service is provided by professional soldiers and, historically, conscripts, with reserve readiness maintained through training and mobilization plans.

Governance and operation: Väed operate under civilian control, with oversight by the government and parliament, and are managed through the Ministry of Defence. They perform tasks such as national defence, international peacekeeping, crisis management, and disaster response in coordination with allied partners.

Historical evolution: The concept of väed reflects the broader development of Estonia's military institutions since regaining independence in 1991, its integration into NATO (since 2004) and European security structures, and ongoing modernization to meet contemporary security demands.