This article examines the perceptions of AI among the military personnel of Estonia, a small country on the eastern edge of NATO, based on data collected during interviews in the armed forces. Due to its small size and geographical location, Estonia finds itself in a unique security situation, which requires the country to constantly adapt to changing threats. The article proposes a model for military technology acceptance in a small country framework, focusing on differences in perceptions of the usability of technology in a military context. The article also discusses trust-related issues of military technology. Results indicate that military personnel see autonomous technologies offering clear benefits by reducing risks to human lives. Ethical and legal concerns about responsibility and decision-making are important, but from a more practical perspective. The study also stresses the importance of user experience. At the same time, a lack of confidence in the decision-making capabilities of AI and the need for human control are hindering achieving the full potential of the systems. Our proposed model describes both military-specific and contextual factors, providing insights into the potential benefits and challenges of AI implementation in the context of a small country’s military.