Latvia, U.S. Expand Partnership With Naval Strike Missile Contract

2025-09-12 02:05:41

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 12. The leadership of the defense sector of Latvia – State Secretary of the Ministry of Defense Aivars Puriņš and Commander of the National Armed Forces Major General Kaspars Pudāns – met with U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) Commander General Randall Reed, who visited Latvia on a working trip, Trend reports.

During the meeting, discussions focused on Latvia's future cooperation with the U.S. Armed Forces, particularly in the areas of logistics and transportation, the conduct of the international military exercise Swift Response 2025 held in Latvia in May, the development of dual-use logistics infrastructure, and other current issues.

U.S. Transportation Command provides logistics support to various U.S. military units, services, defense agencies, and other government organizations.

Cooperation with the United States is one of the priorities of Latvia's bilateral defense relations. Since 2014, U.S. armed forces have been deployed on a rotational basis in the Baltic States within the framework of the training operation Atlantic Resolve, demonstrating the United States' continued commitment to the collective security of NATO member states and promoting peace and stability in the Baltic States and Poland.

In recent years, military cooperation between Latvia and the United States has increased, including large-scale procurements of military equipment. In December 2023, Latvia and the U.S. announced the signing of a contract for the acquisition of Naval Strike Missile anti-ship missile systems, produced by the U.S. company Raytheon and Norway's Kongsberg, worth USD 105 million. Latvia has also signed an agreement with the U.S. government for the purchase of six HIMARS high-mobility artillery rocket systems produced by Lockheed Martin. The National Armed Forces are expected to receive this armament starting in 2027.

In addition, in 2018 Latvia and the United States signed an intergovernmental agreement for the purchase of four new UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters, which are important not only for the fulfillment of armed forces tasks but also for ensuring civilian functions.

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