Finland, not a NATO member, will have its full navy participate in the training. Estonia is sending eight vessels.

TALLINN — Estonia and Latvia will participate in Northern Coasts, a major naval exercise in Finland in fall 2011 which includes 10 countries and 50 military vessels.

While Finland will have its full fleet in force, Estonia will take four military vessels, three mine hunters and one diver vessel. The cost of Estonia’s participation is covered by the Estonian government, but the exact figure is not being released.

According to Peeter Kuimet, a spokesman of the Ministry of Defense, participating in the exercise will bolster the navy’s preparedness for military action.

“Estonian navy takes part in many trainings, it tightens the cooperation, increases national safety, and improves the navy’s preparedness,” Kuimet told Baltic Reports.

The exercise will be carried out Sept. 10-24 in the Baltic Sea with Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, France and the U.S. participating. Scenarios for the training include terrorism, smuggling and environmental accidents.