Latvia receives Stinger air defence systems
Latvia has received man-portable Stinger air defence systems from Denmark to be used by the National Armed Forces (NAF).
The Stinger missiles have been delivered under a bilateral agreement signed between the Latvian and Danish defence ministries in 2017. The systems, which include air defence missiles and their launch platforms, will protect combat units from aerial attacks by enemy air force.
Latvia will collaborate with NATO and other allied forces on operational, maintenance and train the trainer courses to ensure smooth introduction of Stinger into the NAF. Maintenance of the systems will be contracted to the NATO Support and Procurement Agency.
In August 2018, Latvian troops travelled to Finland to undergo Stinger operator training. While training, troops also developed a Stinger operator training module based on courses provided in Finland. The new module will be implemented by the newly created air force training centre of the NAF. Training simulators will be delivered in 2019.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Land Warfare
-
Can NATO’s CUAS marketplace turn urgent demand into deliveries?
Framework contracts and leasing options aim to shorten acquisition timelines, while manufacturing partnerships could help suppliers scale production to meet allied demand.
-
A medium UGV market emerges as the US weighs up its options
The US is pursuing multiple UGV programmes, from commercial robotic platforms to new autonomy technologies. The combination of these efforts could prove key to turning ambition into operational capability.
-
NATO looks for answers to overcome standards hurdles and improve procurement
NATO is looking to artificial intelligence to provide integration between different C2 systems to create a common operational picture, potentially offering a faster route to interoperability than the slow-moving processes of NATO standards committees.
-
NATO FUSE exercise plays out real-world scenario in the face of eastern border risks
The large-scale exercise in Latvia was the culmination of three experimentation initiatives to see how platforms, weapons and systems could fit into the alliance’s Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative. As well as forces, it brought together companies and equipment.
-
Canada accelerates uncrewed aerial system procurement for NATO and Arctic forces
Canada plans to acquire at least 120 uncrewed aerial systems through two competitions with combined funding ceilings of C$32 million.