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List of equipment of the Latvian Land Forces

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This is a list of equipment used by the Latvian Land Forces.

LATPAT camouflage pattern and BEAR-II vest

Personal equipment

[edit]

The equipment of the Latvian Land Forces troops includes:

  • LatPat, Multi-LatPat and WoodLatPat (Latvian digital camouflage uniform).
  • Norwegian BEAR-II load bearing armor system
  • Kevlar helmets
  • Night vision devices

Infantry weapons

[edit]
Model Image Origin Variant Type Caliber Details
Pistols
Glock  Austria Glock 17
Glock 19
Glock 21
Glock 26 		Semi-automatic pistol 9×19mm Parabellum Standard issue pistol.[1][2][3]
Heckler & Koch P2  Germany HK P2A1 Flare gun 26.5mm Complementary order in 2024[4]
Submachine guns
Heckler & Koch UMP  Germany UMP9 Submachine gun 9×19mm Parabellum Standard issue submachine gun.[1][3]
Heckler & Koch MP5  West Germany MP5A3 Submachine gun 9×19mm Parabellum [3]
Heckler & Koch MP7  Germany MP7A2 PDW

Personal defence weapon

HK 4.6×30mm [3][5]
Shotguns
Remington 870  United States MCS Pump action shotgun 12 gauge [3]
Winchester 1300  United States Pump action shotgun 12 gauge Is going to be replaced.[3]
Mossberg 500  United States Pump action shotgun 12 gauge It is planned to be replaced.[3]
Assault rifles
Heckler & Koch G36  Germany G36V
G36KV
G36KV3 		Assault rifle 5.56×45mm NATO Standard issue assault rifle.[1][2][3][6]Complementary order in 2024.[4]
M16  United States M16A1 Assault rifle 5.56×45mm NATO Used by Honour Guard, as ceremonial rifle.[7]
Precision rifles
Heckler & Koch HK417  Germany HK417A2 Designated marksman rifle 7.62×51mm NATO [3][5]
Accuracy International Arctic Warfare  United Kingdom AW Bolt action sniper rifle 7.62×51mm NATO AW variant used to be the standard issue sniper rifle.[1]
Accuracy International AXMC  United Kingdom AXMC Bolt action sniper rifle 8.6×70mm [3]
Accuracy International AX50  United Kingdom AX50 ELR Anti materiel sniper rifle 12.7×99mm NATO [3][5]
PGM Hécate II  France Anti materiel sniper rifle 12.7×99mm NATO Standard issue heavy sniper rifle.[1][2][3]
Barrett M107  United States M107A1 Anti materiel sniper rifle 12.7×99mm NATO [3][5]
Machine guns
FN Minimi  Belgium Minimi Para Light machine gun 5.56×45mm NATO Standard issue light machine gun.[1][2][3]
FN MAG
Kulspruta 58 		 Belgium

 Sweden

FN MAG
Kulspruta 58 B 		General-purpose machine gun 7.62×51mm NATO [2][3]
M2 Browning  United States

 Belgium

M2HB-QCB Heavy machine gun 12.7×99mm NATO [3][8]
Protocol service weapons
M14  United States Battle rifle 7.62×51mm NATO Used by Honour Guard, as ceremonial rifle.[9]
Lee-Enfield  United Kingdom No.4 MkI* Bolt action rifle .303 British 120 rifles were donated by Canada. Used by Honour Guard, as ceremonial rifle.[10]
Grenade launchers
Heckler & Koch AG36  Germany Under-barrel grenade launcher 40×46mm LV [1][3]
Milkor MGL  South Africa

 Croatia

Metallic RBG-6 Automatic grenade launcher 40×46mm LV Produced initially without license by Metallic d.o.o. [3]
Heckler & Koch GMG  Germany Automatic grenade launcher 40×53mm HV [1][2][3]Complementary order in 2024[4]
Man-portable anti-tank systems
AT4  Sweden Recoilless gun 84 mm Light weight, one-shot, disposable.[2]
Carl Gustav recoilless rifle  Sweden M2
M4 		Recoilless rifle 84 mm Re-loadable, fires a variety of ammunition. M2 variant used by the National Guard.[11] 800 Carl Gustaf M2 were donated by Norway.[12] Improved M4 variant on order.[13]
SPIKE  Israel SR
LR I
LR II
ER II 		ATGM

Anti-tank guided missile

Modern tripod-mounted launcher, programmable attack, fire-and-forget. Fires several missile types, varying in weight and size as they fly from shorter to longer ranges.[2][3][14]

Military vehicles

[edit]
Name Image Origin Type Variants Quantity Notes
Armoured fighting vehicles
CVR(T)  United Kingdom Armoured reconnaissance vehicle Scimitar
Sultan
Spartan
Samson
Samaritan 		198 116 modernized vehicles in service, plus 7 used for training. 82 additional vehicles on order - to be delivered by 2022.[15][16]
ASCOD  Spain Infantry fighting vehicle ASCOD 2 TBD In 2024, Latvian Ministry of Defense made a decision to acquire ASCOD to replace the CVR(T).[17]
Armoured vehicles
Patria 6×6  Finland

 Latvia

Armoured personnel carrier Patria 6×6 ~256 (~100 delivered) Over 200 vehicles on order, to be delivered 2021–2029.[18][19] The first 4 vehicles received on 29 October 2021. The vehicles are partially produced in Latvia since 2021.[20][21] In November 2024, 56 additional command vehicles were ordered.[22]
Humvee  United States Armoured car M1043A2
M1113 		30
12 		Ten vehicles donated by the United States in 2005.[23] Possibly 28 more purchased later.[24] Some equipped with HK GMG, M2 Browning and Spike anti-tank guided missile.[citation needed]
Mercedes-Benz G-Class  Austria

 Germany

Armored car (special forces) 290GD 50 [25][26]Second hand from Norway
Amphibious vehicles
Bv 206  Sweden Tracked articulated vehicle (amphibious) Bv 206A
Bv 206F 		Donated by Sweden in 2002 and 2003.[27]
Light vehicles
VR FOX  Latvia Fast attack vehicle 1 (30+) Latvian Armed Forces tested 1 VR FOX prototype and in November 2024 Latvian Ministry of Defense made a decision to acquire more than 30 VR FOX vehicles[28]
Polaris RZR  United States Fast attack vehicle MRZR-2
MRZR-4
MV850 		62[29] Option for up to 130 vehicles.[30]
Can-Am Outlander  Finland

 Canada

All-terrain vehicle Outlander MAX 650XT 582[31] [32]
Logistics
Mercedes-Benz Unimog  Germany Truck U1300
U5000 		120[33]
Scania  Sweden Truck P93
NM154 		184
8 		134 P93 trucks and 8 NM154 recovery vehicles donated by Norway in 2013. 50 more trucks purchased in 2014.[25]
Engineering equipment
M3 Amphibious Rig  Germany Amphibious bridge layer 2 delivered 2 still to be delivered .[34]
Utility vehicles
Mercedes-Benz G-Class  Austria

 Germany

SUV 240GD
300GDN 		+66[35]
12[12] 		[25][36]
Land Rover Defender  United Kingdom SUV D110 2 D110 variant used by military police.[37]
Subaru Forester  Japan SUV 23 23 vehicles used by military police [38]
Nissan Navara  Japan SUV ~55 [38]
Peugeot 308   France Car ~50 [38]
Ford Transit Custom  Germany

 Belgium

Light commercial vehicle ~35 [38]

Indirect fire

[edit]
Model Image Origin Type Caliber Quantity Details
Mortars
GrW 86  Austria Heavy mortar 120 mm Multiple units purchased from Austria in 2017. [39]
m/41D  Finland

 Sweden

Heavy mortar 120 mm 20~ [40]
Self-propelled artillery
M109A5Ö Latvian Army M109 A5o Howitzer  United States

 Austria

Self-propelled howitzer 155 mm

L/39

47 35 howitzers, 10 command and control vehicles and 2 driver training vehicles purchased from Austria in 2017.[41]
Additional 18 howitzers received in 2021.[42] 6 howizers were donated to Ukraine.[43]
M109

Rechenstellenpanzer M109

Latvian Army M109 A5o Howitzer Command and artillery computing station – 10
M109 driver training Latvian Army M109 A5o Howitzer Driver training vehicle – 2
Rocket artillery
M142 HIMARS  United States MLRS 227 mm 0 (6 on order) In October 2022, Latvian Ministry of Defense announced that the country will acquire 6 systems.[44] The contract was signed in December 2023.[45]

Unmanned aerial vehicles

[edit]
Model Image Origin Variant Type Role
UAV Factory Penguin C  Latvia Penguin C Fixed-wing UAV

Unmanned aerial vehicle

ISR

Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance

Long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles.[46]
AeroVironment RQ-20 Puma  United States RQ-20A Fixed-wing UAV

Unmanned aerial vehicle

ISR

Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance

3 systems, each having 3 unmanned aerial vehicles.[47]

Anti-ship weapons

[edit]
Model Image Origin Type Caliber Notes
Naval Strike Missile  Norway Anti-ship/land-attack missile Contract signed in 2023 and the system is planned to be operational in 2027.[48]

Air defence

[edit]
Model Image Origin Variant Type Details
Short-range air-defence
FIM-92 Stinger  United States FIM-92 Stinger MANPAD

Man-portable air-defence systems

[49] All to be transferred to Ukraine.[50]
PPZR Piorun  Poland MANPAD

Man-portable air-defence systems

Undisclosed number of missiles ordered in 2022.[51]
RBS-70  Sweden RBS-70 NG MANPAD

Man-portable air-defence systems

[52]
Medium-range air defence
IRIS-T  Germany IRIS-T SLM Medium range air defence missile system In May 2023, Estonia and Latvia made a decision to jointly procure medium-range IRIS-T SLM.[53] The contract was signed in November 2023 and the systems are planned to be operational in 2026.[54]
Radars
AN/MPQ-64F1 Sentinel  United States AN/MPQ-64F1 3D air search radar [55]
AN/TPS-77  United States AN/TPS-77
TPS-77 MRR 		3D air search radar Used for the Baltic Air Surveillance Network[56]
Hensoldt TRML 4D  Germany Air surveillance and target acquisition radar Radar for the IRIS-T SML air defence system[57]
Saab Giraffe  Sweden Early warning radar [40]

Retired/obsolete equipment

[edit]

In the 1990s, the Latvian Army and National Guard troops were equipped with leftover Soviet, Romanian and Czechoslovak[58] weapons like the AKM, AK-74, SKS rifles and TT and Makarov pistols, alongside early procurements of CZ 82 pistols from the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In the late 1990s, a gradual switch to the Swedish-made Automatkarbin 4 began, but AK-pattern rifles remained. Today Ak4 rifles are mostly kept in storage.[59] In 1995, the Czechs donated 20 120mm mortars (possibly the vz. 82 PRAM-L) and 24 100 mm vz. 53 field guns.[58]

Retired/obsolete vehicles include:

  • 2 BRDM-2 armored cars (donated by Poland by 1992, mostly used by the Suži Airborne Reconnaissance Battalion of the Land Forces, later used as target practice);[60][61]
  • 5 T-55AM Merida tanks (donated by Poland in 1999.[62] Three remaining tanks, still used for training purposes, were reported to have come from the Czech Republic in 2000, not Poland.);[63][64]
  • ~12 Terrängbil m/42 KP IFVs (donated around 1994 by Sweden to the Baltic states, retired by the late 1990s or early 2000s; at least one transferred to the State Border Guard).[64][65][66][67]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Par ieroču modeļu noteikšanu un iepirkumu Nacionālo bruņoto spēku vajadzībām". likumi.lv (in Latvian). 28 July 2005.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Faktu lapa "Nacionālie bruņotie spēki" (2008)". www.mod.gov.lv (in Latvian). Archived from the original on 2018-08-31. Retrieved 2018-08-30.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "AM sagatavojusi jaunus armijas ieroču standartus". www.tvnet.lv (in Latvian). LETA. 12 July 2018.
  4. ^ a b c "Heckler & Koch erhält Beauftragungen durch mehrere NATO-Länder". soldat-und-technik.de (in German). 2024-01-18. Retrieved 2024-01-23.
  5. ^ a b c d "UNROCA 2021". unroca.org. UN Register of Conventional Arms.
  6. ^ "Triecienšautene G36 – ierocis, uz ko var paļauties". www.sargs.lv (in Latvian). 2019-11-07. Retrieved 2022-10-05.
  7. ^ |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/latvijas_armija/sets/72157680138740644
  8. ^ "NBS par 1,8 miljoniem eiro iegādāsies 'Browning M2' ložmetējus". www.delfi.lv (in Latvian). BNS. 21 December 2014.
  9. ^ |url=https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02z1HX9zEXu1JvuWgxvPb8FX2x8fx6r7apAa9duwNj5bkunbw7Gw1a4ahN8Jsu2inhl&id=100064486820256
  10. ^ |url=https://www.mod.gov.lv/en/node/7895
  11. ^ Tupp, Enn (2018). "Zemessardze - KASP-i ja Kaitseliidu vääriline partner". Kaitse Kodu! (in Estonian). 1. Kaitseliit: 34. ISSN 1406-3387.
  12. ^ a b "National Guard loads up with anti-tank weapons, trucks". eng.lsm.lv/. 2015-03-20. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  13. ^ "Latvia and Estonia Place Orders for Carl-Gustaf M4". saab.com. Saab Press Centre. 13 July 2020.
  14. ^ "Latvia takes delivery of new Spike missile variants". janes.com. 7 March 2020.
  15. ^ "NBS saņēmuši visas 2014. gadā parakstītajā līgumā paredzētās kāpurķēžu izlūkošanas mašīnas CVR(T)". sargs.lv (in Latvian). 26 October 2020.
  16. ^ "Pabriks ar Lielbritānijas Bruņoto spēku ministru pārrunās bruņutehnikas iepirkuma noslēgumu". sargs.lv (in Latvian). 2021-10-15. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  17. ^ "Latvia intends to buy Spanish ASCOD fighting vehicles". LSM. 11 November 2024. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  18. ^ "Latvia orders 6×6 APCs from Patria". Janes Information Services. 1 September 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  19. ^ "Joint 6x6 programme proceeds - Patria provides 6x6 armoured vehicles for Finland and Latvia". Patria Group. 30 August 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  20. ^ "Patria's manufacturing network is growing in Latvia". Patria. 2021-06-14. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
  21. ^ "Patria to start vehicles' parts manufacturing in Latvia". Patria. 2020-11-05. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
  22. ^ "Latvia adds 56 armored 'command' vehicles to its Patria order". LSM. 14 November 2024. Retrieved 15 November 2024.
  23. ^ "Latviešu karavīru draugs "Hummer"". tvnet.lv. 1 June 2005.
  24. ^ "Par ASV naudu pirks "Hummer"". apollo.lv (in Latvian). 10 July 2005.
  25. ^ a b c "Bruņotie spēki saņem Norvēģijā pirktās automašīnas un ieročus" (in Latvian). Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  26. ^ "UNROCA original report - Latvia 2015". www.unroca.org.
  27. ^ Kristovskis, Gatis (12 June 2018). "Latvia to buy parts of used all-terrain carriers from Sweden for EUR 5.7 million". LETA.
  28. ^ "Valdība atbalsta ieceri iegādāties Latvijā ražotus militārā apvidus transportlīdzekļus "VR FOX"". Sargs.lv (in Latvian). 2024-11-26. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
  29. ^ "Latvijas armija saņems ar ASV atbalstu sagādātus 62 taktiskos transportlīdzekļus" (in Latvian). delfi.lv. Retrieved 6 Feb 2018.
  30. ^ "All 47 howitzers bought from Austria are now in Latvia". eng.lsm.lv. 18 October 2018.
  31. ^ "2019. gadā turpinājās NBS un Zemessardzes vienību bruņojuma modernizācija". sargs.lv. 13 January 2020.
  32. ^ "Bruņotie spēki no Somijas iegādājušies 6x6 bezceļa transportlīdzekļus" (in Latvian). 15 June 2018.
  33. ^ "2019. gadā turpinājās NBS un Zemessardzes vienību bruņojuma modernizācija". sargs.lv. 13 January 2020.
  34. ^ "Latvijas armija iekārtas no ASV 20 miljonu dolāru vērtībā". nra.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2021-12-10.
  35. ^ "Armijas vajadzībām pārbūvēs 66 "Mercedes" apvidus auto". www.apollo.lv (in Latvian). 2008-10-28. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  36. ^ ""Latvijas Avīze" atmasko: Kad galvā lido šķīvīši…" (in Latvian). 20 June 2017.
  37. ^ "MLR PT.21 ~ LATVIAN MILITARY POLICE D110 SW". joint-forces.com. 28 June 2019.
  38. ^ a b c d "Armijai 247 jauni transportlīdzekļi – arī ģimenes busiņi un "lendkruizeri"" (in Latvian). 5 February 2018.
  39. ^ "Latvia gets from Austria second-hand 120 mm mortars". leta.lv. 4 October 2017.
  40. ^ a b "SIPRI Trade Register".
  41. ^ "ARMOUR FOCUS – NEW LATVIAN M109 SPH". joint-forces.com. 4 April 2018.
  42. ^ "Latvijai piegādātas papildu 18 pašgājējhaubices". delfi.lv. 27 July 2021.
  43. ^ "Latvia donates helicopters and howitzers to Ukraine". eng.lsm.lv. 2022-08-15. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  44. ^ "Latvia plans to buy six HIMARS systems". LSM. 12 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  45. ^ "Latvia, USA sign HIMARS missile purchase deal". LSM. 20 December 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  46. ^ "Latvia acquires Penguin C long-endurance UAVs". Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  47. ^ "Latvian army with US support to receive EUR 2.4 million worth of drones". Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  48. ^ "Latvia signs naval missile deal with the United States". LSM. 9 December 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  49. ^ "Latvia signs deal to buy 'Stinger' missiles from Denmark". LSM. 21 August 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  50. ^ "Latvia to transfer all its Stinger MANPADS to Ukraine". mil.in.ua. 21 April 2023.
  51. ^ "MSPO 2023: More Piorun MANPADS to be Exported!". Defence24. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  52. ^ "Saab Receives Order from Latvia for RBS 70 Missiles". SAAB. 8 September 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  53. ^ "Estonia, Latvia plan joint purchase of German medium-range IRIS-T air defense systems". The Washington Post. 21 May 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  54. ^ "Latvia secures IRIS-T air defense system purchase from Germany". LSM. 30 November 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  55. ^ "Latvia receives two more military radar units from US". LSM. 9 August 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  56. ^ "First new-generation military radar system arriving". LSM. 9 March 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  57. ^ "HENSOLDT supplies air defence radars to Latvia and Slovenia". www.hensoldt.net. 2024-07-04. Retrieved 2024-11-13.
  58. ^ a b "Latvijas armijas bruņojums" [Armament of the Latvian Army]. periodika.lv. Lauku Avīze. 1995-11-03. p. 27. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
  59. ^ "Ierocis, kas saistāms ar daudzu 20.-21. gs. konfliktu vēsturi-kalašņikova tipa triecienšautene "AKM"" [A weapon with links to many 20th and 21st century conflicts - the AKM Kalashnikov-type assault rifle]. Sargs.lv (in Latvian). 2021-07-19. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
  60. ^ Likteņdzirnās, Latvieši Vēstures (2009-10-27). "Latvieši vēstures likteņdzirnās: Izlūkdesanta bataljons (IDB)". Latvieši vēstures likteņdzirnās (in Latvian). Retrieved 2024-02-15.
  61. ^ "Atjaunotās Latvijas armijas pirmsākumi, 2. daļa". Liepājnieka virtuālie pieraksti (in Latvian). 2008-11-13. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
  62. ^ "Soldiering article". soldiering.ru. Archived from the original on 8 October 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  63. ^ Rancāns, Jānis (2018-12-09). "NBS plāno remontēt Čehijas dāvinātos «T-55» tankus" [NAF plans to repair T-55 tanks donated by the Czech Republic]. lsm.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2024-02-15.
  64. ^ a b Drāke; Melderis, Roberts; Jānis (2011). "NBS VAJADZĪBĀM NEPIECIEŠAMĀS BRUŅUTEHNIKAS IEGĀDES PROBLĒMU ANALĪZE UN TO RISINĀJUMS" [Problem Analysis and Solutions of the Procurement of Necessary Armoured Vehicles for the NAF] (PDF). Militārā zinātne (in Latvian) (4). National Defense Academy of Latvia: 10–11.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  65. ^ "Atjaunotās Latvijas armijas pirmsākumi, 2. daļa". Liepājnieka virtuālie pieraksti (in Latvian). 2008-11-13. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
  66. ^ "Svenska veteraner-Terrängbil M/42 KP". Lantvärnet (in Swedish). 2012-08-08. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
  67. ^ "Armijai zirgus?". Liepājnieka virtuālie pieraksti (in Latvian). 2008-01-21. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
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