*Estonia plans to upgrade its anti-aircraft defence system and has invited European company MBDA and its US rival Raytheon to bid for a EUR 45 million (USD 55 million) contract to supply missiles, officials said on Thursday. Estonian Defence Minister Jaak Joeruut said the two companies had been identified as suppliers of the short-range anti-aircraft missiles needed by the country. "Estonia stands out among NATO member countries for its weak air defence capability," Joeruut told a news conference, adding that Estonia has only old, outdated Israeli missiles at present. He continued: "The aim of the state procurement is to supply Estonia with a modern and mobile anti-aircraft system which could be integrated into the joint air defence system of the allied forces, should there be a need to use this system in the NATO context," he said. "We have picked two companies which manufacture the type of systems we need, and these firms are MBDA Missile Systems and the Raytheon." Joeruut said the EEK 700 million kroon tender would be announced at the end of the month and the successful bidder would be announced in the spring of 2006. The new system should be in place by 2009, Joeruut said.
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