Latvia has signed a contract with the Spanish company “GDELS-Santa Bárbara Sistemas” for the delivery of 42 ASCOD infantry fighting vehicles for the National Armed Forces (NAF), totaling €373 million.
According to Delfi, citing the Latvian Ministry of Defence, the agreement includes the re-equipment of one battalion. If additional funding becomes available, the possibility of re-equipping other battalions will be considered. The Ministry is also exploring the further use of already purchased platforms to ensure compatibility between the battalions.
The contract with the Spanish company includes an option to discuss the additional purchase of infantry fighting vehicles, which could affect the cost and delivery timeline. Furthermore, the agreement stipulates that Latvian industry will participate in the contract for 30% of the total value. This may involve fulfilling orders, transferring technologies, and establishing production capacities.
The ASCOD infantry fighting vehicles will be equipped with NATO standard Level 4 armor, an automatic cannon, anti-tank weapons, a machine gun, and other advanced technologies to ensure effective battlefield management. Each vehicle is operated by three soldiers and can transport six fully equipped soldiers.
