Jüri Pajuste
Director of Defence R&D, Milrem Robotics
Jüri Pajuste works as the Director of Defence Research and Development at Milrem Robotics, predominantly focusing on military product development, which includes detailing end-user needs and requirements, product design, and concept development. As one of the senior and long-serving members at Milrem Robotics, Mr Pajuste has extensive knowledge and experience of unmanned systems and their potential on the battlefield. He has led Milrem’s unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) project in Ukraine—providing vehicles and training in unmanned systems and incorporating best practices for UGV utilisation—and he also led the Estonian Defence Forces’ THeMIS UGV deployment, which was part of Operation Barkhane in Mali. Mr Pajuste currently serves as a reserve officer (OF-2) in the Estonian Defence Forces. During his 15 years of active service, he commanded a combat operation platoon in 2008 and 2012 in the Helmand Province in Afghanistan and worked at the battalion HQ as a signals (S6) officer and at the Infantry Brigade HQ as an intelligence officer (S2). He has also served in the Estonian Special Forces (EST SOF) unit for 6 years, where he focused on planning and conducting operations in urban environments. Prior to his service, he studied at the Estonian Military Academy and received his degree in Military Leadership.
Updated: September 7, 2023