Latvia Launches Own Production of Military Armoured Vehicles

Latvia is set to launch full-cycle production of its own military armoured vehicles, Patria by the end of May. The first serial samples of the equipment are expected to be ready by August, according to a statement from Latvian Minister of Defence Andris Sprūds as reported by Delfi.

The production of Patria armoured vehicles will take place at the Defence Partnership Latvia facility, as previously promised by the Latvian Ministry of Defense. The country's defence department expects to produce 30 such vehicles annually. The first vehicles are slated to roll off the assembly line in August, with the Ministry of Defence expecting to receive 25 units of Patria by the end of the year.

The full-cycle production of armoured vehicles marks a significant step in the development of Latvia's defence industry, stated the Ministry of Defence, as such large-scale production of military equipment has not been carried out in Latvia since its independence. The department has also started working on legislative changes to allow for testing military equipment within Latvia's territory in the future. This will also contribute to the development of Latvia's military-industrial complex.

It's worth noting that Patria 6x6 armoured vehicles were selected for the general program of combat vehicle systems (CAVS) for several European countries including Finland, Latvia, Sweden, and Germany.

Earlier reports from The Gaze indicated Latvia's plan to provide military assistance to Ukraine amounting to 0.25% of its own GDP for this year and the following two years. Funding for this project will come from the Ministry of Defence's budget.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs notes that a long-term agreement between Latvia and Ukraine on support and security is planned to be signed on April 11 during the Three Seas Summit in Vilnius. Latvia intends to sign such an agreement to send "a clear and firm signal of support to Ukraine in its fight against aggression."

It was also reported that Latvia plans to allocate at least 10 million euros per year to the drone coalition led by the country. The goal of the coalition of participating countries is to provide Ukraine with one million drones. On April 16, the Latvian government decided to send the first batch of drones as part of the coalition. Latvian officials stated that the drones for Ukraine are of high quality and have undergone all necessary checks.