Latvian Land Forces

Latvian Land Forces
Sauszemes spēki
Emblem of the Latvian Land Forces
Active	1918–1940, 1991–present
Country	Latvia
Type	Army
Role	Land warfare
Part of	Latvian National Armed Forces
Motto(s)	Vienotībā spēks (English: "Power in unity")[1]
Anniversaries	30 April (Land Forces Day) 4 May (Independence Restoration and Armed Forces Day)
Engagements	War of Independence Iraq War Multinational force in Iraq War in Afghanistan
Commanders
Commander	Colonel  [lv][2]

The Latvian Land Forces (Latvian: Sauszemes spēki, SzS) together with the Latvian National Guard form the land warfare branch of the Latvian National Armed Forces. Since 2007, land forces are organized as a fully professional standing army.

Mission[]

The main missions of the national Land Forces are to:

• Provide for the defense of all national territories;
• Ensure combat readiness and the mobilization of units;
• Dispose of explosive ordnance;
• Provide public assistance.

Structure[]

Infantry Brig

Spec.
Tasks
Unit

Lielvārde Air Base

Navy HQ

Coastal Defence Bn

Latvian military units and bases^[3]
Note: "Special Tasks Unit" is a special forces unit of battalion size.

Structure of the Latvian Armed Forces, 2019

• Mechanized Infantry Brigade^[4]
  • Headquarters
  • Headquarters and Signal Company
  • 1st Mechanized Infantry Battalion
    • Headquarters and Support Company
    • 1st Mechanized Infantry Company
    • 2nd Mechanized Infantry Company
    • 3rd Mechanized Infantry Company
    • Combat Service Support Company
  • 2nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion
    • Headquarters and Support Company
    • 1st Mechanized Infantry Company
    • 2nd Mechanized Infantry Company
    • 3rd Mechanized Infantry Company
    • Combat Service Support Company
  • 3rd Infantry Battalion (trains active service soldiers, national guardsmen and reserve soldiers)
    • Headquarters and Support Company
    • 1st Infantry Company
    • 2nd Infantry Company
    • 3rd Infantry Company
    • Combat Service Support Company
  • Artillery Unit (M109A5Ö howitzers)
  • Combat Support Battalion
    • Staff and Signal Company
    • Anti-tank Company (Spike-LR missiles)
    • Fire Support Company
    • Engineer Company
    • Military Intelligence Company
    • Forward Air Control Unit
  • Combat Service Support Battalion
    • Staff and Signal Company
    • Supply and Transport Company
    • Technical Support and Maintenance Company
    • Medical Company

Cooperation[]

Latvian, US, and Afghan soldiers on patrol in Afghanistan

Since 1996 till today the National Armed Forces' soldiers have been deployed on nine international peace-keeping missions in Afghanistan, Albania, Bosnia, Central African Republic, Georgia, Iraq, Kosovo, Macedonia and Somalia.^[5] Starting from January 1, 2015, Latvian Armed Forces are taking part in EU's Nordic Battle Group.^[6][7] On March 29, 2004, Latvia became a fully fledged member of the NATO.^[8]

Equipment[]

Personal equipment[]

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 helmet
• Night vision device

Infantry weapons[]

Model	Image	Origin	Variant	Caliber	Details
Pistols
Glock		Austria	Glock 17 Glock 19 Glock 21 Glock 26	9×19mm Parabellum	Standard issue pistol.[9][10][11]
Shotguns and submachine guns
Remington 870		United States		12 gauge	[11]
Heckler & Koch MP7		Germany	MP7A1	HK 4.6×30mm	[11]
Heckler & Koch MP5		Germany	MP5A3	9×19mm Parabellum	[11]
Heckler & Koch UMP		Germany	UMP9	9×19mm Parabellum	Standard issue submachine gun.[9][11]
Assault rifles
Heckler & Koch G36C		Germany	G36KV	5.56×45mm NATO	Standard issue assault rifle.[9][10][11]
Sniper rifles
Heckler & Koch HK417		Germany		7.62×51mm NATO	[11]
Accuracy International Arctic Warfare		United Kingdom	AW AXMC AX50	7.62×51mm NATO 12.7×99mm NATO	AW variant used to be the standard issue sniper rifle.[9][11]
PGM Hécate II		France		12.7×99mm NATO	Standard issue heavy sniper rifle.[9][10][11]
Barrett M107		United States		12.7×99mm NATO	[11]
Machine guns
FN Minimi		Belgium	Minimi Para	5.56×45mm NATO	Standard issue light machine gun.[9][10][11]
FN MAG		Sweden	Kulspruta 58 B	7.62×51mm NATO	[10][11]
M2 Browning		United States	M2HB-QCB	12.7×99mm NATO	[12][11]
Grenade launchers
Heckler & Koch AG36		Germany		40x46mm	[9][11]
Heckler & Koch GMG		Germany		40x53mm	[9][10][11]
Anti-tank weapons
AT4		Sweden		84 mm	[10]
Carl Gustav recoilless rifle		Sweden	M2 M4	84 mm	M2 variant used by the National Guard.[13] M4 variant on order.[14]
SPIKE		Israel	SR LR I LR II ER II		[10][11][15]
Unmanned aerial vehicles
AeroVironment RQ-20 Puma		United States	RQ-20A		3 systems, each having 3 unmanned aerial vehicles[16]
		Latvia	Penguin C		Long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles[17]

Military vehicles[]

Name	Image	Origin	Type	Variants	Quantity	Notes
Armoured reconnaissance vehicles
CVR(T)		United Kingdom	Armoured reconnaissance vehicle	Scimitar Sultan Spartan Samson Samaritan	205[18]	116 modernized vehicles in service, plus 7 used for training. 82 additional vehicles on order - to be delivered by 2022.[19]
Armoured personnel carriers
Patria 6×6		Finland	Armoured personnel carrier	Patria 6×6	4	Approximately 200 vehicles on order. To be delivered 2021-2029.[20][21] 4 vehicles received on 29.10.2021.
Armoured cars
Humvee		United States	Armoured car	M1043A2 M1113	30 8	Ten vehicles donated by the United States in 2005.[22] Possibly 28 more purchased later.[23] Some equipped with HK GMG, M2 Browning and Spike anti-tank guided missile
Mercedes-Benz G-Class		Germany	Armoured car	290GD	50	[24][25]
Trucks
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.[24]
Mercedes-Benz Unimog		Germany	Truck	U1300 U5000	120[26]
Light vehicles
Mercedes-Benz G-Class		Germany	Sport utility vehicle	240GD 300GDN		[24][27]
Land Rover Defender		United Kingdom	Sport utility vehicle	D110	2	D110 variant used by military police.[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	All-terrain vehicle	Outlander MAX 650XT	582[31]	[32]
Special vehicles
M3 Amphibious Rig		Germany	Amphibious bridge layer			4 on order[33]
Bv 206		Sweden	Amphibious tracked vehicle	Bv 206A Bv 206F		Donated by Sweden in 2002 and 2003.[34]

Artillery[]

Model	Image	Origin	Caliber	Quantity	Details
Self-propelled artillery
M109A5Ö Rechenstellenpanzer M109		United States  Austria	155 mm	53 10	35 howitzers, 10 command and control vehicles and 2 driver training vehicles purchased from Austria in 2017.[35] Additional 18 howitzers received in 2021.[36]
Mortars
m/41D		Finland  Sweden	Mortar	120mm	[37]
L16 81mm mortar		United Kingdom  Norway	81 mm
		Austria	120 mm		Purchased from Austria in 2017.[38]

Air-defence equipment[]

Model	Image	Origin	Variant	Details
Man-portable air-defence systems
RBS-70		Sweden	RBS 70 NG	[39]
FIM-92 Stinger		United States	FIM-92 Stinger	[40]
Radars
Saab Giraffe		Sweden		[37]
AN/MPQ-64 Sentinel		United States	AN/MPQ-64F1	[41]
AN/TPS-77		United States	AN/TPS-77, TPS-77 MRR	[42]

Rank structure^[43][]

The rank structure of the Latvian army is adjusted to the rank structure of the NATO countries in Europe. Rank insignia are worn historically on the collars and today also on shoulder marks. Starting 2016, only the Staff Battalion wears the collar insignia.

Officers of the Latvian Army
	Flag Officers			Senior Officers			Junior Officers
Rank insignia
Rank	Lieutenant General Ģenerālleitnants	Major General Ģenerālmajors	Brigadier General Brigādes Ģenerālis	Colonel Pulkvedis	Lieutenant Colonel Pulkvežleitnants	Major Majors	Captain Kapteinis	First Lieutenant Virsleitnants	Second Lieutenant Leitnants
NATO Rank Grade	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1

Non-Commissioned Officers of the Latvian army
	General NCOs		Senior NCOs		Junior NCOs		Privates
Rank insignia
Rank	Senior Warrant Officer Augstākais virsseržants	Warrant Officer Galvenais virsseržants	Senior Sergeant Štāba virsseržants	Sergeant First Class Virsseržants	Sergeant Seržants	Corporal Kaprālis	Private First Class Dižkareivis	Private Kareivis
NATO Rank Grade	OR-9	OR-8	OR-7	OR-6	OR-5	OR-4	OR-3	OR-2

References[]

External links[]

• Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Latvia
• Mission of Latvia to NATO