Wikipedia

List of equipment of the Latvian Land Forces

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

Personal equipment

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A Latvian Army soldier uses hand signals to communicate with his comrades during exercise Saber Junction 15. Note the LATPAT camouflage pattern and BEAR-II vest

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

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Model Image Origin Variant Caliber Details
Pistols
Glock     Austria Glock 17
Glock 19
Glock 21
Glock 26		 9×19mm Parabellum Standard issue pistol.[1][2][3]
Heckler & Koch P2A1     Germany Flare gun 26.5mm Complementary order in 2024[4]
Submachine guns
Heckler & Koch UMP     Germany UMP9 9×19mm Parabellum Standard issue submachine gun.[1][3]
Heckler & Koch MP5     West Germany MP5A3 9×19mm Parabellum [3]
Heckler & Koch MP7     Germany MP7A2 HK 4.6×30mm [3][5]
Shotguns
Remington 870     United States MCS 12 gauge [3]
Winchester 1300     United States 12 gauge Is going to be replaced.[3]
Mossberg 500     United States 12 gauge Is going to be replaced.[3]
Assault rifles and Rifles
Heckler & Koch G36     Germany G36V
G36KV
G36KV3		 5.56×45mm NATO Standard issue assault rifle.[1][2][3][6]Complementary order in 2024.[4]
M16     United States M16A1 5.56×45mm NATO Used by Honour Guard, as ceremonial rifle.[7]
M14     United States 7.62×51mm NATO Used by Honour Guard, as ceremonial rifle.[8]
Lee-Enfield     United Kingdom No.4 MkI* .303 British 120 rifles were donated by Canada. Used by Honour Guard, as ceremonial rifle.[9]
Sniper rifles
Heckler & Koch HK417     Germany HK417A2 7.62×51mm NATO [3][5]
PGM Hécate II     France 12.7×99mm NATO Standard issue heavy sniper rifle.[1][2][3]
Accuracy International Arctic Warfare     United Kingdom AW
AXMC
AX50 ELR		 7.62×51mm NATO
12.7×99mm NATO		 AW variant used to be the standard issue sniper rifle.[1][3][5]
Barrett M107     United States M107A1 12.7×99mm NATO [3][5]
Machine guns
FN Minimi     Belgium Minimi Para 5.56×45mm NATO Standard issue light machine gun.[1][2][3]
FN MAG
Kulspruta 58		     Belgium
  Sweden		 FN MAG
Kulspruta 58 B		 7.62×51mm NATO [2][3]
M2 Browning     United States M2HB-QCB 12.7×99mm NATO [10][3]
Grenade launchers
Heckler & Koch AG36     Germany 40×46mm LV [1][3]
Heckler & Koch GMG     Germany 40×53mm HV [1][2][3]Complementary order in 2024[4]
Metallic RBG-6     South Africa
  South Africa
  Croatia		 40×46mm Produced initially without license by Metallic d.o.o. [3]
Anti-tank weapons
SPIKE     Israel SR
LR I
LR II
ER II		 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][11]
Carl Gustav recoilless rifle     Sweden M2
M4		 84 mm Re-loadable, fires a variety of ammunition. M2 variant used by the National Guard.[12] 800 Carl Gustaf M2 were donated by Norway.[13] Improved M4 variant on order.[14]
AT4     Sweden 84 mm Light weight, one-shot, disposable.[2]
Unmanned aerial vehicles
UAV Factory Penguin C   Latvia Penguin C Long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles.[15]
AeroVironment RQ-20 Puma     United States RQ-20A 3 systems, each having 3 unmanned aerial vehicles.[16]

Military vehicles

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Name Image Origin Type Variants Quantity Notes
Armoured reconnaissance 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.[17][18]
Armoured personnel carriers
Patria 6×6     Finland

  Latvia

Armoured personnel carrier Patria 6×6 ~100 as of August 2024 Approximately 200 vehicles on order. To be delivered 2021–2029.[19][20] The first 4 vehicles received on 29 October 2021. Partially built in Latvia from 2021.[21][22]
Armoured cars
Mercedes-Benz G-Class     Austria

  West Germany

Armoured car 290GD 50 [23][24]
Humvee     United States Armoured car M1043A2
M1113 		30
12 		Ten vehicles donated by the United States in 2005.[25] Possibly 28 more purchased later.[26] Some equipped with HK GMG, M2 Browning and Spike anti-tank guided missile.[citation needed]
Trucks
Mercedes-Benz Unimog     Germany Truck U1300
U5000 		120[27]
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.[23]
Light vehicles
Can-Am Outlander   Finland

  Canada

All-terrain vehicle Outlander MAX 650XT 582[28] [29]
Polaris RZR     United States Fast attack vehicle MRZR-2
MRZR-4
MV850 		62[30] Option for up to 130 vehicles.[31]
Mercedes-Benz G-Class     Austria

  West Germany

SUV 240GD
300GDN 		+66[32]
12[13] 		[23][33]
Land Rover Defender     United Kingdom SUV D110 2 D110 variant used by military police.[34]
Subaru Forester     Japan SUV 23 23 vehicles used by military police [35]
Nissan Navara     Japan SUV ~55 [35]
Special vehicles
M3 Amphibious Rig     Germany Amphibious bridge layer 4 on order.[36]
Bv 206     Sweden Amphibious tracked vehicle Bv 206A
Bv 206F 		Donated by Sweden in 2002 and 2003.[37]
Cars
Peugeot 308      France Car ~50 [35]
Ford Transit Custom     United States Light commercial vehicle ~35 [35]

Artillery

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Model Image Origin Caliber Quantity Details
Mortars
GrW 86     Austria 120 mm Multiple units purchased from Austria in 2017 [38]
m/41D     Finland
  Sweden 		120 mm [39]
L16 81mm mortar     United Kingdom
  Norway 		81 mm
Self-propelled artillery
M109A5Ö
Rechenstellenpanzer M109
Driver training vehicle 		    United States
  Austria 		155 mm 47
10
2 		35 howitzers, 10 command and control vehicles and 2 driver training vehicles purchased from Austria in 2017.[40]
Additional 18 howitzers received in 2021.[41] 6 howizers were donated to Ukraine.[42]
Rocket artillery
M142 HIMARS     United States 227 mm 0 (6 on order) In October 2022, Latvian Ministry of Defense announced that the country will acquire 6 systems.[43] The contract was signed in December 2023.[44]

Anti-ship weapons

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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.[45]

Air-defence equipment

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Model Image Origin Variant Details
Medium-range air defence systems
IRIS-T     Germany IRIS-T SLM In May 2023, Estonia and Latvia made a decision to jointly procure medium-range IRIS-T SLM.[46] The contract was signed in November 2023 and the systems are planned to be operational in 2026.[47]
Man-portable air-defence systems
FIM-92 Stinger     United States FIM-92 Stinger [48] All to be transferred to Ukraine.[49]
PPZR Piorun     Poland Undisclosed number of missiles ordered in 2022.[50]
RBS-70     Sweden RBS 70 NG [51]
Radars
Saab Giraffe     Sweden [39]
AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel     United States AN/MPQ-64F1 [52]
AN/TPS-77     United States AN/TPS-77
TPS-77 MRR		 [53]

Retired/obsolete equipment

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In the 1990s, the Latvian Army and National Guard troops were equipped with leftover Soviet, Romanian and Czechoslovak[54] 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.[55] In 1995, the Czechs donated 20 120mm mortars (possibly the vz. 82 PRAM-L) and 24 100 mm vz. 53 field guns.[54]

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);[56][57]
  • 5 T-55AM Merida tanks (donated by Poland in 1999.[58] Three remaining tanks, still used for training purposes, were reported to have come from the Czech Republic in 2000, not Poland.);[59][60]
  • ~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).[60][61][62][63]

References

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  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 "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. ^ |url=https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02z1HX9zEXu1JvuWgxvPb8FX2x8fx6r7apAa9duwNj5bkunbw7Gw1a4ahN8Jsu2inhl&id=100064486820256
  9. ^ |url=https://www.mod.gov.lv/en/node/7895
  10. ^ "NBS par 1,8 miljoniem eiro iegādāsies 'Browning M2' ložmetējus". www.delfi.lv (in Latvian). BNS. 21 December 2014.
  11. ^ "Latvia takes delivery of new Spike missile variants". janes.com. 7 March 2020.
  12. ^ Tupp, Enn (2018). "Zemessardze - KASP-i ja Kaitseliidu vääriline partner". Kaitse Kodu! (in Estonian). 1. Kaitseliit: 34. ISSN 1406-3387.
  13. ^ a b "National Guard loads up with anti-tank weapons, trucks". eng.lsm.lv/. 2015-03-20. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  14. ^ "Latvia and Estonia Place Orders for Carl-Gustaf M4". saab.com. Saab Press Centre. 13 July 2020.
  15. ^ "Latvia acquires Penguin C long-endurance UAVs". Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  16. ^ "Latvian army with US support to receive EUR 2.4 million worth of drones". Retrieved 16 April 2018.
  17. ^ "NBS saņēmuši visas 2014. gadā parakstītajā līgumā paredzētās kāpurķēžu izlūkošanas mašīnas CVR(T)". sargs.lv (in Latvian). 26 October 2020.
  18. ^ "Pabriks ar Lielbritānijas Bruņoto spēku ministru pārrunās bruņutehnikas iepirkuma noslēgumu". sargs.lv (in Latvian). 2021-10-15. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  19. ^ "Latvia orders 6×6 APCs from Patria". Janes Information Services. 1 September 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  20. ^ "Joint 6x6 programme proceeds - Patria provides 6x6 armoured vehicles for Finland and Latvia". Patria Group. 30 August 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  21. ^ "Patria's manufacturing network is growing in Latvia". Patria. 2021-06-14. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
  22. ^ "Patria to start vehicles' parts manufacturing in Latvia". Patria. 2020-11-05. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
  23. ^ a b c "Bruņotie spēki saņem Norvēģijā pirktās automašīnas un ieročus" (in Latvian). Retrieved 31 May 2015.
  24. ^ "UNROCA original report - Latvia 2015". www.unroca.org.
  25. ^ "Latviešu karavīru draugs "Hummer"". tvnet.lv. 1 June 2005.
  26. ^ "Par ASV naudu pirks "Hummer"". apollo.lv (in Latvian). 10 July 2005.
  27. ^ "2019. gadā turpinājās NBS un Zemessardzes vienību bruņojuma modernizācija". sargs.lv. 13 January 2020.
  28. ^ "2019. gadā turpinājās NBS un Zemessardzes vienību bruņojuma modernizācija". sargs.lv. 13 January 2020.
  29. ^ "Bruņotie spēki no Somijas iegādājušies 6x6 bezceļa transportlīdzekļus" (in Latvian). 15 June 2018.
  30. ^ "Latvijas armija saņems ar ASV atbalstu sagādātus 62 taktiskos transportlīdzekļus" (in Latvian). delfi.lv. Retrieved 6 Feb 2018.
  31. ^ "All 47 howitzers bought from Austria are now in Latvia". eng.lsm.lv. 18 October 2018.
  32. ^ "Armijas vajadzībām pārbūvēs 66 "Mercedes" apvidus auto". www.apollo.lv (in Latvian). 2008-10-28. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  33. ^ ""Latvijas Avīze" atmasko: Kad galvā lido šķīvīši…" (in Latvian). 20 June 2017.
  34. ^ "MLR PT.21 ~ LATVIAN MILITARY POLICE D110 SW". joint-forces.com. 28 June 2019.
  35. ^ a b c d "Armijai 247 jauni transportlīdzekļi – arī ģimenes busiņi un "lendkruizeri"" (in Latvian). 5 February 2018.
  36. ^ "Latvijas armija iekārtas no ASV 20 miljonu dolāru vērtībā". nra.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 2021-12-10.
  37. ^ Kristovskis, Gatis (12 June 2018). "Latvia to buy parts of used all-terrain carriers from Sweden for EUR 5.7 million". LETA.
  38. ^ "Latvia gets from Austria second-hand 120 mm mortars". leta.lv. 4 October 2017.
  39. ^ a b "SIPRI Trade Register".
  40. ^ "ARMOUR FOCUS – NEW LATVIAN M109 SPH". joint-forces.com. 4 April 2018.
  41. ^ "Latvijai piegādātas papildu 18 pašgājējhaubices". delfi.lv. 27 July 2021.
  42. ^ "Latvia donates helicopters and howitzers to Ukraine". eng.lsm.lv. 2022-08-15. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  43. ^ "Latvia plans to buy six HIMARS systems". LSM. 12 October 2022. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  44. ^ "Latvia, USA sign HIMARS missile purchase deal". LSM. 20 December 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  45. ^ "Latvia signs naval missile deal with the United States". LSM. 9 December 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  46. ^ "Estonia, Latvia plan joint purchase of German medium-range IRIS-T air defense systems". The Washington Post. 21 May 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  47. ^ "Latvia secures IRIS-T air defense system purchase from Germany". LSM. 30 November 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  48. ^ "Latvia signs deal to buy 'Stinger' missiles from Denmark". LSM. 21 August 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  49. ^ "Latvia to transfer all its Stinger MANPADS to Ukraine". mil.in.ua. 21 April 2023.
  50. ^ "MSPO 2023: More Piorun MANPADS to be Exported!". Defence24. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  51. ^ "Saab Receives Order from Latvia for RBS 70 Missiles". SAAB. 8 September 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  52. ^ "Latvia receives two more military radar units from US". LSM. 9 August 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  53. ^ "First new-generation military radar system arriving". LSM. 9 March 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  54. ^ a b "Latvijas armijas bruņojums" [Armament of the Latvian Army]. periodika.lv. Lauku Avīze. 1995-11-03. p. 27. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
  55. ^ "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.
  56. ^ Likteņdzirnās, Latvieši Vēstures (2009-10-27). "Latvieši vēstures likteņdzirnās: Izlūkdesanta bataljons (IDB)". Latvieši vēstures likteņdzirnās (in Latvian). Retrieved 2024-02-15.
  57. ^ "Atjaunotās Latvijas armijas pirmsākumi, 2. daļa". Liepājnieka virtuālie pieraksti (in Latvian). 2008-11-13. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
  58. ^ "Soldiering article". soldiering.ru. Archived from the original on 8 October 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  59. ^ 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.
  60. ^ 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)
  61. ^ "Atjaunotās Latvijas armijas pirmsākumi, 2. daļa". Liepājnieka virtuālie pieraksti (in Latvian). 2008-11-13. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
  62. ^ "Svenska veteraner-Terrängbil M/42 KP". Lantvärnet (in Swedish). 2012-08-08. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
  63. ^ "Armijai zirgus?". Liepājnieka virtuālie pieraksti (in Latvian). 2008-01-21. Retrieved 2024-02-15.
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