Latvian Land Forces

Latvian Land Forces
Sauszemes spēki
Latvian Land Forces emblem
Active	1918 - 1940 1991 - present
Country	Latvia
Role	Land force
Size	~5 000 professionals, 8 000 National Guard and 11 000 reserve personnel [Military of LVA]
Part of	Latvian Armed Forces
Motto	Vienotībā spēks (Power in unity)[1]
Engagements	War of Independence Iraqi war (2003) Afghanistan War (2001)
Commanders
Commander	Colonel Mārtiņš Liberts[2]

The Latvian Land Forces (Latvian: Sauszemes Spēki, SzS) together with the Latvian National Guard form the land warfare branch of the 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;
• Exterminate explosives;
• 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.

Land Forces Infantry Brigade

• Headquarters
• HQ and Signal Company
• 1st Infantry Battalion
• 2nd Infantry Battalion
• Combat Support Battalion (mortars, anti-tank guided missiles, engineers)

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.^[4]

Starting from January 1, 2015 Latvian Armed Forces are taking part in EU's Nordic Battle Group.^[5][6]

On March 29, 2004, Latvia became a fully fledged member of the NATO.^[7]

Equipment

Latvian soldiers during an exercise in Poland.

A Latvian soldier demonstrates the Heckler & Koch G36 rifle

Artillery

• 100 mm Škoda vz53 field gun.
• 120-PM-43 mortar.
• 2b11 Sani mortar
• M/41D 120mm mortar.
• Pvpj 1110 field gun.

Air defence

• RBS 70 short-range man-portable air-defence system (MANPAD) used in combination with GIRAFFE Radar
• Bofors 40 mm gun

Anti-tank weapons and grenade launchers

• SPIKE fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile.
• AT4 single-shot anti-tank weapon.
• Carl Gustav recoilless rifle 84 mm man-portable reusable multi-role recoilless rifle anti-tank weapon.
• Heckler & Koch GMG automatic grenade launcher.

Assault rifles and machine guns

• Heckler & Koch G36 assault rifle (fitted with a AG36 single-shot 40 mm grenade launcher) standard weapon in land forces.
• M16 rifle (M16A1 variant) used only as ceremonial weapon.
• Heckler & Koch MP5 (MP5KA1, MP5A3, MP5SD3 variants) submachine gun.
• Heckler & Koch MP7 (MP7A1 variant) submachine gun.
• Heckler & Koch UMP (UMP9 variant) submachine gun.
• Uzi (Mini-Uzi, Uzi-SMG variants) submachine gun.
• FN Minimi light machine gun.
• M2 Browning machine gun (M2HB-QCB variant).
• Rheinmetall MG 3 general purpose machine gun.
• Heckler & Koch G3 battle rifle (in storage)

Pistols, shotguns and sniper rifles

• Glock pistol (Glock 17, 19, 21 variants) semi-automatic pistol.
• Heckler & Koch USP semi-automatic pistol.
• M1911 pistol (M1911A1 variant) semi-automatic pistol.
• SIG P210 semi-automatic pistol.
• SIG Sauer P232 semi-automatic pistol.
• SIG Sauer P239 semi-automatic pistol.
• Heckler & Koch P2A1 single-shot, break action flare pistol.
• FR F2 sniper rifle.
• Dragunov sniper rifle
• Makarov PMM
• Heckler & Koch HK417 'Sniper' Model - 20" accurized barrel.
• PGM Hecate II heavy sniper rifle.
• AMP Technical Services DSR-1 specialized sniper rifle.
• Remington 870 shotgun.

Military vehicles

Name	Image	Origin	Type	Variants	Quantity	Notes
Main battle tanks
T-54/55		Poland	Tank	T-55AM2	3	Used only for training
Armored reconnaissance vehicles
CVR(T)		United Kingdom	Armored reconnaissance vehicle	ScimitarSultanSpartanSamsonSamaritan	123[8] (first vehicles arrived in September, 2015)	All vehicles will be upgraded and overhauled. Some of them will be equipped with SPIKE anti-tank guided missiles.[9]
Armoured cars
HMMWV		United States	Armoured car		60	Some equipped with HK GMG, M2 Browning and SPIKE ATGM
Mercedes-Benz G-Class		Germany	Armoured car		50 [10]
Snatch Land Rover		United Kingdom	Armoured car		9 [11]
Trucks
Mercedes-Benz 1017		Germany	Truck
Mercedes-Benz Unimog 416		Germany	Truck
Scania		Sweden	Truck	P93NM154	192[12]
Light vehicles
Mercedes-Benz G-Class		Germany	SUV	240GD300GDN
Volvo C class		Sweden	SUV	C303 C304 C306
Land Rover Defender		United Kingdom	SUV
CUCV		United States	SUV			Handed over to the National Guard
Special vehicles
Bv 206		Sweden	Amphibious tracked vehicle	Bv 206A Bv 206F	~180

Rank structure^[13]

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.

Officers of the Latvian Army
	Generals			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
	Sergeants					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

1. "Simbolika". Nacionālie bruņotie spēki. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
2. "Nacionālie bruņotie spēki". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
3. Jane's World Armies Issue 23 - 2008
4. "Nacionālie bruņotie spēki". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
5. http://www.forsvarsmakten.se/en/about/our-mission-in-sweden-and-abroad/international-activities-and-operations/nordic-battle-group
6. http://www.forsvarsmakten.se/siteassets/english/nbg15---eng/14mar_-fcdr_master-f.pdf#page=13
7. "Member countries". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
8. "Latvian army purchases UK armoured combat vehicles". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
9. "Latvia to continue purchases of Spike anti-tank missiles". Retrieved 12 January 2015.
10. "Latvia to buy anti-tank weapons, armoured vehicles from Norway". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
11. "Latvian soldiers leave for the operation in Central African Republic". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
12. "Bruņotie spēki saņem Norvēģijā pirktās automašīnas un ieročus" (in Latvian). Retrieved 31 May 2015.
13. "Latvia Latvian Army ranks military combat field uniforms dress grades uniformes combat armee lettone - Army Recognition - Army Recognition". Retrieved 24 December 2014.

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