Austria Reinforces Military Partnership With New Defense Attaché In Latvia

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 19. The Latvian Ministry of Defense has accredited Austrian Defense Attaché Colonel Peter Hofer, who will be based in Warsaw, Poland, and accredited to Latvia, Trend reports.

Colonel Hofer began his military career in 1990 at the Theresian Military Academy in Austria and has held a variety of positions within the Austrian Armed Forces. He has also served in international missions, including NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR) and the EU military operation in the Central African Republic (EUFOR RCA). In recent years, he headed the senior officers' training institute at the Theresian Military Academy.

In 2025, Colonel Hofer was appointed Austria's Defense Attaché to Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, and Poland. The role of accredited foreign defense attachés in Latvia is to promote and strengthen bilateral cooperation between their countries and Latvia.

Although Austria is not a NATO member, it has been part of NATO's Partnership for Peace program since 1995. Austrian forces have supported Allied security and peacekeeping operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as NATO missions in Afghanistan and Kosovo.

Defense cooperation between Latvia and Austria has been longstanding. In 2017, the two countries signed an agreement on the acquisition of“M109A5Öe” self-propelled howitzer systems, including fire control and training platforms, enhancing Latvia's indirect fire support capabilities and its ability to fully integrate into NATO operations and exercises. Regular bilateral cooperation also continues in the area of military training and education.

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