The Latvian authorities are fanning fears about a possible invasion from the East. The Ministry of Defense regularly conducts population surveys on this topic. Armed resistance to Russia is ready to provide 15% of the citizens of the republic. / Latvijas armija / Flickr

In the spring of 2017, 450 Canadian soldiers, 140 Italians and 400 soldiers from Albania, Poland and Slovenia will be deployed to Latvia. According to the terms of the Warsaw Summit in 2016, the NATO contingent should be about 1,000 people. / Reuters

Riga plans to achieve the deployment of 5,000 foreign troops on a permanent basis. Also, the Latvian authorities are going to allow up to 30 thousand NATO soldiers to be quickly transferred to their territory. / Victor Lisitsin / Russian Look / globallookpress.com

The Latvian Navy consists of 18 ships: 6 minesweepers and 11 patrol and patrol boats. Almost all ships of the Latvian fleet are second-hand navies of the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Finland. The photo shows the minelayer M 04 Imanta (former Dutch M854 Harlingen). / Latvijas armija / Flickr

There are three naval bases in Latvia with headquarters in Riga. There are less than a thousand people in the Navy. Officers work under a contract, and sailors are recruited for one year. / Reuters

Since 2007, the Latvian Land Forces have been formed exclusively on a contract basis. The structure of this type of armed forces includes three infantry battalions, three companies, one special forces unit and military police. / Latvijas armija / Flickr

The national armed forces of Latvia include the ground forces, the National Guard, reservists and the Navy. In the ranking of the military power of Global Firepower, the Latvian troops occupy the 103rd place, ahead of the Estonian ones. / Latvijas armija / Flickr

The Latvian army received combat experience in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq. On March 29, 2004, Latvia joined NATO and got rid of Soviet weapons thanks to the import of used military equipment. The photograph shows a fighter at the Adazi military base.

The ground forces of Latvia are not armed with tanks and any heavy armored vehicles. The photo shows a Soviet tank of Polish production T-55AM2. In the Latvian troops, these machines are used for training purposes. / Reuters

On the balance of the armed forces of Latvia there are four An-2T transport aircraft ("Kukuruznik"), four Mi-17 multi-purpose helicopters and two Mi-2T transport aircraft. / Reuters

The military budget of Latvia is growing at a gigantic pace. In 2016, €367.86 million was spent on defense, and in 2017 - €449.57 or 1.7% of GDP. Riga plans to annually increase the military budget by €100 million and eventually cross the NATO bar of 2% of GDP. / Latvijas armija / Flickr

Despite the growth in military spending, there is practically no new military equipment in Latvia. Riga is a recipient of gratuitous military aid from the United States. All that the Latvian army has is repaired or outdated Western equipment. / Latvijas armija / Flickr

Latvia intends to conclude a contract with Austria for the supply of 47 M109 self-propelled howitzers for €14 million. In 2003-2007, the artillery systems were modernized and then were in storage. The photo shows the Swedish Pvpj 1110 recoilless rifle. / Reuters

After the declaration of independence of Latvia, the creation of national armed forces began. On August 23, 1991, a law was passed on the creation of the first paramilitary territorial formation - the "Zemessardze".

The National Armed Forces (NAF) consist of the Regular Forces, the Territorial Forces "Zemmessardze" and the Reserve Armed Forces. Latvia was the first and only of the Baltic republics to completely refuse military service. In January 2007, general military duty was abolished, and a transition to contract service took place.

COMPOSITION OF THE ARMED FORCES

The NAF consists of: Ground Forces (one infantry brigade, special forces unit, battalion of the headquarters of the armed forces, military police), Air Force - air base, Navy (flotilla of warships), voluntary territorial defense forces "Zemmessardze", training department, management logistics and subdivisions of central subordination.

The supreme commander, in accordance with the Constitution, is the president of the country. The general leadership of the NAF is carried out by the Minister of Defense, who must be a civilian. All military units report directly to the Commander of the National Armed Forces. The NAF Commander has been in office for four years. The number of ground forces (SV) of Latvia for 2016 is 5310 people. The NAF reserve is more than 10 thousand people. Organizationally, the SVs are consolidated into one infantry brigade, which consists of two infantry battalions, a headquarters and communications company, a supply and transport company, an infantry support battalion and a medical company. The Air Force has 310 military personnel. The Air Force includes the Air Force Base Headquarters, an airspace surveillance squadron, an aviation squadron, and an air defense division. The air base of the Air Force is distributed over three base airfields: Lielvarde, Daugavpils and Rezekne. The naval forces are represented by one fleet of ships consisting of the Coast Guard Service, the Mine Ship Squadron, the Patrol Ship Squadron, the Maritime Surveillance and Warning Service and workshops. The navy has about 840 military personnel. Naval bases are located in Riga (main base, headquarters of the Navy), Liepaja and Ventspils.

"ZEMESSARDZE"

Voluntary territorial defense forces "Zemmessardze" has 18 battalions, consolidated into three regional commands. Regional headquarters are located in Riga, Liepaja and Rezekne.

The first district, under the leadership of the headquarters of the first command, has four infantry battalions and one support battalion, which trains snipers, scouts, paramedics and signalmen.

The Second District also has four infantry battalions, a support battalion, an artillery battalion, and a WMD defense battalion. Third Command headquarters has two infantry battalions, an engineering battalion, a student battalion, and an air defense battalion armed with 40mm L-AA guns. 70. In the Student Battalion, military affairs are taught on a voluntary basis by students of the country's universities.

The Zemessardze units included 592 professional military personnel (leading level) and 10,510 volunteers - "Zemessardze".

ARMAMENT OF NAF OF LATVIA

The ground forces of the NAF of Latvia are armed with three T-55 tanks received from Poland, about 120 British armored reconnaissance vehicles CVR (T), several dozen wheeled all-terrain vehicles and about 180 Bandvagn 206 tracked all-terrain vehicles that served in Sweden. There are manual anti-tank weapons (AT4, "Karl Gustav") and air defense weapons (RBS 70). Artillery is represented exclusively by mortars of up to 120 caliber. Various automatic rifles are used as small arms, including the obsolete American M-14 (more than 10 thousand units delivered), Beretta 92 and Glock-17 pistols, light and heavy machine guns, made in Belgium, Germany and the USA. The Navy is armed with five minesweepers of the Tripartite class (all five previously served in the Dutch Navy), two support ships built by Holland and Norway, eight patrol boats and ships, six coast guard ships (built by Sweden and Finland). The Air Force has only three aircraft - one Czech L-410 and four Soviet An-2s - and six helicopters - four Mi-17s and two Mi-2s, of Russian and Polish production. With such a modest air force potential, Latvia (like other Baltic countries) is forced to invite NATO aircraft to patrol its airspace, which do this in turn. Since January 2016, this mission has been carried out by Belgian and Spanish aircraft flying from the NATO military base in Siauliai.

The history of the armed forces of the three Baltic republics, as well as the history of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, has much in common. Period of independence between the two world wars, accession to the USSR, German occupation, re-incorporation into the Soviet Union, declaration of independence in the early 1990s. All these small states have rather weak military forces and prefer to rely on their NATO allies. Latvia The Latvian National Armed Forces can be considered the heirs of the armed forces that existed before 1940 and included four land divisions, a technical division, the Navy and various auxiliary formations. After the incorporation of Latvia into the USSR, units of the Latvian army were transformed into the 24th Latvian Rifle Corps of the Red Army, which was under operational control of the 27th Army. In August 1991, a law was passed in Latvia on the creation of the first paramilitary unit - the "Zemmessardze", and after the declaration of independence of Latvia, the government began the creation of the armed forces. Since 1994, Latvia has actively participated in the NATO Partnership for Peace program. And in March 2004, the republic joined the North Atlantic Alliance. Latvian military personnel participated in various international missions in hot spots: in the peacekeeping contingent in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the KFOR contingent (Kosovo), in the occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq. In mid-2005, the concept of standard small arms was adopted in Latvia, which provided for the gradual rearmament of the Latvian army for weapons of the NATO standard. At the same time, first of all, the formations participating in the missions of the North Atlantic Alliance, as well as units that are intended to participate in international operations, were to be equipped with new weapons. In November 2006, the first batch of HK G36 assault rifles entered service with the Latvian army. In January 2007, general conscription was abolished and a transition to a professional army took place. The Latvian Armed Forces number about 5,000 servicemen and 10,000 reservists. Including more than 900 - in the Ground Forces, 552 - in the Navy, 250 - in the Air Force. There are also more than 1,200 civilian employees in the armed forces. The military budget for 2012 was 370 million euros. The Latvian Land Forces include the following units and subunits: Land Forces Infantry Brigade, Special Forces Unit, Armed Forces Headquarters Battalion, Military Police, Territorial Defense Forces, Logistics Administration, Training Administration. In 2015, several CVRT tracked armored personnel carriers were delivered to Latvia, designed to improve the combat capability and mobility of the infantry brigade of the ground forces. By 2020, the Latvian military should receive 123 of these tracked armored personnel carriers purchased from the UK. The Latvian army is also armed with American army all-terrain vehicles Humvee, which have high maneuverability and are suitable for air transportation and landing. Active negotiations are underway with Germany regarding the purchase of Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled artillery mounts and infantry fighting vehicles. And in the summer of 2015, the commander of the Latvian armed forces told the press that his country would buy Stinger man-portable air defense systems from the United States. As expected, these MANPADS will be located at the largest military training ground in the Baltic States - the Adazi military base. The Latvian air force is small. In the early 2000s, two new Mi-8MTV helicopters were purchased, equipped with rescue and search equipment, but also used to transport manpower, evacuate and support special forces. Then two more Mi-8MTVs were purchased. Previously, the Air Force was armed with the Polish training and sports aircraft PZL-104 Wilga, the Czechoslovak universal twin-engine aircraft Let L-410 Turbolet, the Soviet An-2 light multi-purpose aircraft, and the Mi-2 helicopter. It is not surprising that Latvia, which has a very modest air force arsenal ( as well as Lithuania and Estonia) is forced to use the services of "colleagues" in NATO, who alternately patrol the airspace of the Baltic republics. Since January 2016, this mission has been carried out by Belgian and Spanish warplanes flying from the NATO military base in the Lithuanian city of Šiauliai. The Latvian navy has 587 servicemen and several ships, the main task of which is to clear territorial waters, as well as patrolling. The reserve of the armed forces is made up of Latvian citizens who have completed military service (5,000 people). In the event of general mobilization, the army will receive another 14 light infantry battalions, one air defense battalion, one artillery battalion and several auxiliary units. small patrol boats, four motor boats, two trucks, four buses, 11 off-road minibuses, 22 SUVs, 60 minibuses, 131 cars, 30 ATVs, 17 motorcycles and seven tractors. Lithuania Until 1940, the Lithuanian armed forces were called the Lithuanian Army. After the inclusion of the republic into the USSR, it was reorganized into the 29th Territorial Rifle Corps of the Red Army. In January 1992, the Ministry of Regional Protection began its activities. At the same time, the first call for active military service was announced. In November 1992, the restoration of the Army of the Republic of Lithuania was proclaimed. Continuing the traditions of the Lithuanian Army of the interwar period, many battalions of the modern Lithuanian army were given the names of regiments of the 1920s-1930s and their symbols. The modern armed forces of Lithuania consist of the Ground Forces, the Navy, the Air Force and the Special Operations Forces. In September 2008, conscription for military service was canceled in Lithuania, and now the recruitment of the Lithuanian Armed Forces is carried out on a professional basis. However, in 2015, the conscription was "temporarily" restored - under the pretext of the "Russian threat" and the fact that many units were understaffed. At the same time, young people aged 19 to 26 are called up, selected using a computer draw. As of 2011, the military budget of Lithuania was 360 million US dollars (later it increased several times, approaching 500,000 dollars), the total number of armed forces consisted of 10,640 regular military personnel, 6,700 reservists, another 14,600 served in other paramilitary formations. The Ground Forces include more than eight thousand military personnel (a brigade of rapid reaction forces, two motorized infantry battalions, two mechanized battalions, an engineering battalion, a military battalion police, a training regiment and several units of territorial defense). There are 187 M113A1 armored personnel carriers in service; ten BRDM-2; 133 105mm field artillery guns; 61 120mm mortars, up to 100 84mm Carl Gustaf recoilless rifles, 65 anti-tank systems, 18 anti-aircraft guns and 20 RBS-70 man-portable air defense systems, as well as over 400 anti-tank grenade launchers of various systems. The Lithuanian Air Force has less than one thousands of military personnel, two L-39ZA aircraft, five transport aircraft (two L-410s and three C-27Js) and nine Mi-8 transport helicopters. More than 500 people serve in the Lithuanian Navy. The navy is armed with one Project 1124M small anti-submarine ship, three Danish Flyvefisken-class patrol ships, one Norwegian Storm-class patrol boat, three other types of patrol boats, two British-built Lindau minesweepers (M53 and M54), one Norwegian-built minesweeping command ship, one survey vessel and one tug. There is also a coast guard (540 people and three patrol boats). Like other Baltic republics, Lithuania began cooperation with the North Atlantic Alliance in 1994 under the Partnership for Peace program, which continued until joining NATO in March 2004. The Lithuanian military took part in missions in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq. After Lithuania joined NATO, the integration of the country's armed forces with the armed forces of other countries of the alliance began. In particular, the Lithuanian Iron Wolf motorized brigade was included in the Danish division, and in 2007 an agreement was signed on the creation of an infantry battalion by Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania NATO First Engagement Force. In September 2015, a NATO headquarters was opened in Vilnius (similar ones are also open in Estonia, Latvia, Bulgaria, Poland and Romania), which employs 40 military from the countries - members of the alliance (primarily Germany, Canada and Poland). One of its main tasks is the coordination of the rapid reaction forces of the North Atlantic Alliance in the event of an international crisis in the region. Estonia The modern Estonian armed forces (Estonian Defense Army) in peacetime number about 5.5 thousand people, of which about two thousand are conscripts. The reserve of the armed forces is about 30,000 people, which makes it possible to fully equip one infantry brigade, four separate battalions and organize four defensive regions. In addition, there are more than 12 thousand people who are members of the Defense League (the so-called Defense League, a volunteer paramilitary formation). The Estonian armed forces are recruited on the basis of universal military service. Young men from 18 to 28 years old who are not exempt and who are Estonian citizens are required to complete an eight-month or 11-month service (individual specialists). The largest part of the armed forces are the Ground Forces. The ability to participate in missions outside the national territory and carry out operations to protect the territory of Estonia, including in cooperation with allies, has been declared a priority for their development. Along with a certain amount of Soviet-made armored vehicles, the Estonian army is armed with several dozen Swedish Strf 90 infantry fighting vehicles, Finnish armored personnel carriers Patria Pasi XA-180EST and Patria Pasi XA-188. The main functions of the Estonian Navy are the protection of territorial waters and coastlines, ensuring the safety of maritime navigation, communications and maritime transport in territorial waters and cooperation with the NATO Navy. The navy includes patrol ships, minesweepers (minesweepers are Sandown type minesweepers), support ships, and coast guard units. Separately, it is worth mentioning the voluntary military organization Defense League, which is subordinate to the Ministry of Defense. It consists of 15 territorial divisions, the areas of responsibility of which basically coincide with the borders of the Estonian districts. This organization takes part in the exercises of the Estonian army, in addition, its activists participate in ensuring public order as volunteer assistants to the police, in extinguishing forest fires and performing some other public functions. Like other Baltic states, Estonia is a member of the North Atlantic Alliance and entrusts their allies high hopes. Thus, in the spring of 2015, Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves called for the permanent deployment of NATO forces (at least a brigade) in the country. And the Estonian Air Force participated in joint exercises with the US Air Force several times over the past year: American attack aircraft flew in the Estonian sky and a training airborne landing was carried out. A small Estonian contingent took part in the war in Afghanistan as part of the international ISAF forces, as well as in the American occupation of Iraq. A small number of Estonian representatives have taken part in UN, EU and NATO peacekeeping missions in Lebanon, Mali, Kosovo and the Middle East.

The army of Latvia is the guarantor of the independence and security of its state. are a combination of various types of troops that ensure the territorial integrity of the country.

History of occurrence

How did the army of Latvia appear. The history of its creation dates back to the nineteenth year of the twentieth century. At that time, the components of the armed forces were four land divisions, which in turn were divided into four more regiments. One third of them were occupied by artillerymen, the rest by infantry. The divisions bore the following names: Kurzeme, Vidzeme, Latgale and Zemgale. In addition to the main composition, the Latvian army of 1940 received support from the Technical Division and the Navy. Almost at the beginning of the history of the creation of troops, Senior Lieutenant Alfred Walleyki organized an aviation group.

Armed associations began to form on a voluntary basis. The first similarity of the army of the state consisted of several rifle companies of soldiers - Latvian, German and Russian. But a year after the formation of troops from among those interested, they began to call everyone for service. The officers were led by former Russian and German soldiers. The commanders were also representatives of the United Kingdom, the United States and Sweden.

In the first two years after the organization, the army fought against representatives of the Red Army. After this incident, the situation calmed down somewhat, and the armed forces were engaged in peaceful affairs. The pre-war army in Latvia did not use its defensive capabilities against other countries for the next twenty years.

In 1940, the state became one of the following. Following this, the armed forces of Latvia also underwent some changes. They increased the size of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army in the form of the twenty-fourth Latvian Rifle Corps.

Military training for eighteen months was now compulsory. After this period, the privates were placed in the reserve. With the advent of Soviet power, the army of Latvia (the number of its composition) reached thirty-one thousand. Of this number, two thousand were officers, twenty-seven thousand were soldiers. were also filled with civil servants. Their number was equal to a thousand people.

When the Great Patriotic War began, the republic was represented in the form of two rifle divisions and a separate anti-aircraft artillery battalion. The cadets of the Riga Infantry School also went to the front.

Independence time

Immediately after receiving the status of an independent state, the government signed a law that defined the concepts of "Latvian army", "number" and "armament of its composition." A people's voluntary defense organization was formed, which was called "Zemessardze". Protection of interests, independence and sovereignty has become one of the priorities. Therefore, the authorities were actively engaged in the formation of a combat-ready army.

The state in the nineties actively began to establish international relations. As part of the partnership program with the United States of America, the country participated in all NATO projects.

It was also a novelty that they became a separate unit after their withdrawal from the armed forces. The Latvian army lost this link, which came under the control of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the state.

According to reports from the Customs Service, over the period from 1995 to 2000, more than eight million lats worth of weapons were transported across the border. But at the same time, there is one interesting fact - supplies for the state make up only half of this amount. Although, according to documents on foreign economic operations, various small arms were imported into Latvia.

fighting

The Latvian army, although it took part in hostilities, was not very active. There were no direct aggressive threats from other countries, so the government sent its people to participate in various missions.

The Latvian military participated in the formation of the ISAF forces, which were introduced into Afghanistan. The state provided its soldiers in 2003. Losses cost four citizens of Latvia.

During the war in Iraq, the Latvian army was sent in the amount of 140 people to the territory of hostilities. Then the government sent more and more batches of people. During the war in Iraq, about a thousand soldiers have been there. Three of them did not return home.

The Latvian army took part in many NATO formations. After the organization decided to send its contingent to stabilize the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, the Latvians decided to join them. For nine years, the authorities sent their citizens to fulfill the mission. A total of 437 people fought in Kosovo.

Surveillance systems

To better protect sovereignty the government of its state issued a decree on the construction of a station with a radar system. It was supposed to be located in the eastern part of the country. The purpose of the station was to monitor the airspace of other Baltic countries - Lithuania and Estonia, as well as parts of Russia and Belarus.

A year after the construction of the radar station, another object of observation was launched. The long-range radar began to operate in the Audriņa volost. It is designed to control the Baltic countries.

NATO Influence

Thanks to cooperation and support from the North Atlantic Alliance, the Latvian army is provided with fairly modern weapons. In 2005, the organization contributed to the supply of equipment of the appropriate level and capacity. This was done to ensure that the authorities of the state, on demand, provide their contingent to participate in international missions. And for this, the army must be well armed.

Thanks to well-established foreign economic relations, the country is supplied with:

• various types of small arms (pistols, machine guns, machine guns, grenade launchers, sniper rifles);
• motor vehicles (armored and unarmored);
• means of communication;
• uniforms (helmets, body armor);
• auxiliary equipment (trucks, tow trucks, ambulances).

Voluntary formation "Zemessardze"

The Latvian army has a rather interesting structure. The strength of its composition, in addition to the main troops, is also made up of voluntary territorial defense forces. They were formed in 1991 and received the name "Zemessardze". This component of the armed forces of the state is quite numerous. She has eighteen battalions on her account.

This formation receives support from the state, but it is voluntary due to the fact that its units have only five thousand professional soldiers. The remaining ten and a half thousand people are people who joined the formation on their own initiative.

"Zemessardze" is the largest part of the armed forces of Latvia. The chief commander says that people help the state by allocating personal time. But many volunteers have a different main job. He believes that people are driven by ideology and love for the motherland. This idea is supported by the rest of the Latvian army. The parade on the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the formation took place this year.

The tasks of the battalions are:

• liquidation of consequences of fires;
• rescue work;
• control of public order;
• security;
• defense of the land part of Latvia;
• participation in international missions.

Formation structure

The administrative bodies of this organization are based in three cities - Riga, Liepaja and Rezekne. Each has its own strategic importance:

1. The district, located in Riga, is controlled by the headquarters of the first command. He leads five battalions. One of them works for support, the others are infantry. The first provides the army with professional snipers, scouts, doctors and signalers.
2. The district, located in Liepaja, is controlled by the headquarters of the second command. He, as well as the Riga district, has four infantry battalions under his command. In addition to them, he manages an artillery battalion and a battalion that is engaged in protecting the territory of the state from weapons of mass destruction.
3. The district, located in Rezekne, is controlled by the headquarters of the third command. He manages the infantry, air defense, engineering and student battalions. In the latter, students from different countries serve.

Organizational structure

The Latvian army, number and armament (2015) is quite large for such a small country: 5,100 regulars and about 8,000 volunteers (as part of the people's militia). A distinctive feature of the armed forces of the state is a simple chain of command. The entire defense system consists of the following units:

• ground troops;
• aviation;
• navy;
• National Guard;
• command centers.

In case of martial law, the authorities have the right to transfer all structures belonging to the Ministry of the Interior under the control of the armed forces. Including, these are border detachments, and civil defense formations.

Geographically, Latvia is divided into three districts. If earlier military service was compulsory, then, starting in 2007, it is possible to get into the army only on a contract basis. The entire officer corps consists of former cadets of military lyceums.

Development prospects

The main goal in terms of the long-term development of the country's armed forces is to increase the defense capability in accordance with the requirements of the North Atlantic Alliance. They mean military construction, which should be completed by 2020. The army must be at such a level that it can strengthen its allies in international peacekeeping missions.

Thanks to this project, a single headquarters was formed in 2011, which organizes the work of its units and is responsible for cooperation with NATO formations. Its tasks are the development of strategic plans, coordination of actions, command of internal troops, and staff training.

There are 5,700 people serving in the armed forces of Latvia.

Ground troops

The army of Latvia is based on this type of troops. The photos speak of the powerful training of soldiers and good equipment. The ground forces consist of two divisions - a motorized infantry brigade and a special forces detachment.

The ground forces are armed with small arms (automatic rifles, pistols, grenade launchers), mainly of American and German production. On the basis of this type of troops there are several tanks, armored personnel carriers and

Air Force

The military aviation of Latvia can solve a range of tasks independently or accompany and cover the ground forces or the navy.

The army's air force division consists of a squadron, an air defense battalion and an airspace control squadron. The first component includes the aircraft and helicopter bureau and aircraft maintenance. The second component deals with the defeat of targets at close range. It includes three air defense batteries and a support platoon. The third component manages the communication link, security unit, radar stations. At its disposal are not only planes and helicopters, but also anti-aircraft guns.

In the future, it is planned to carry out a large-scale reconstruction of the infrastructure of air bases, the purchase of radar systems with an increased range.

Naval Forces

The task of the fleet is to control the activities of other states, prevent possible threats, create conditions for a safe economic zone, and regulate shipping and fishing. At the moment, the main work is to equip the water area, in particular, the clearance of the Baltic Sea. The naval forces consist of a flotilla of warships and a coast guard service.