WARSAW, Poland — The Latvian Ministry of Defence has selected the Ascod infantry fighting vehicle for the country’s armed forces. Officials anticipate that procurement negotiations with the manufacturer, GDELS-Santa Bárbara Sistemas, will be concluded by the end of this year or early next year.
Latvian Defense Minister Andris Sprūds stated that the tracked vehicle will enhance the operational capabilities of the Baltic state’s military. He highlighted that experts from both the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces conducted a comprehensive analysis to determine which combat vehicles were best suited to meet their needs.
While the minister did not disclose the exact number of vehicles to be purchased or the estimated value of the contract, a spokesperson for the Defence Ministry informed Defense News that Latvia aims to allocate around €250 million (approximately US$265 million) for new fighting vehicles. The spokesperson remarked that the Ministry of Defence is looking to acquire these new infantry fighting vehicles to improve the mobility, protection level, and firepower of the Land Forces.
In addition to the Ascod vehicles, the Latvian Ministry is also pursuing other military acquisitions, such as wheeled, self-propelled howitzers.
GDELS-Santa Bárbara Sistemas, based in Spain, is a subsidiary of General Dynamics European Land Systems. The Ascod vehicles are currently in operation with the armed forces of Spain, Austria, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Philippines.
Jaroslaw Adamowski serves as the Poland correspondent for Defense News.
