Dr. Ivo Peets

Ivo Peets is the Commander of the Estonian Defense Forces’ Force Transformation Command, a newly established organization created to accelerate the development, integration, and fielding of operationally relevant combat capabilities across the force. In this role, he leads efforts to turn identified military problems into tested and deployable solutions, with particular attention to unmanned systems, counter-UAS, autonomy and the integration of new capabilities into force structures. He combines command experience with academic expertise shaped by doctoral studies at the Naval Postgraduate School in the United States and a PhD from Tallinn University focused on comprehensive national defense planning for small states. This background supports his work in linking long-term defense planning with faster capability development and fielding. With over two decades of military service, Ivo Peets has served from platoon command, including deployment to Afghanistan, to senior staff roles in force development and resource planning. He has held appointments in the Estonian Defense Forces Headquarters, the Estonian Military Academy, and international missions, including NATO ISAF in Afghanistan and the European Union Training Mission in Mali. His work has included long-term force development, defense resource management, and cooperation with NATO and European partners on capability development.