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