Latvia could realistically begin using its IRIS-T medium-range air defence systems on operational combat duty in the first half of next year, Commander of the Latvian National Armed Forces Air Force Edmunds Svenčs told LETA.
Svenčs recalled that the first systems are expected to arrive later this year.
“By the end of the year, we plan to receive the initial package. Overall, the system includes radar systems, command post systems and logistics. This year, we will begin the acceptance process,” Svenčs said.
The systems’ actual entry into operational combat duty will depend on how quickly personnel can be trained. In Estonia, it took around six months from the receipt of the systems until they became operational, Svenčs explained.
“One thing is learning the procedures, but another is integrating the system into NATO’s overall surveillance and response system,” the Air Force commander stressed.
He added that
the systems could realistically begin operational combat duty in the first half of next year,
although this could happen even earlier.
The locations where the systems will be deployed will remain classified.
Svenčs also said that the National Armed Forces (NBS) have deployed the Blaze interceptor drones received this year near Latvia’s eastern border. At the same time, work continues to integrate the interceptors into combat systems and train military personnel.
The Air Force commander said he had no information on whether Blaze had been used in incidents involving foreign drones entering Latvian airspace, as the primary response involves activating the chain of command linked to the deployment of NATO fighter jets.
Gunārs Kauliņš, Deputy Chief of the NBS Joint Headquarters for Operations, told journalists today that Latvia cannot defend its airspace alone. The NBS therefore continues to monitor the airspace together with NATO allies and remains ready to respond to any potential threats.
“We have the will, but we do not yet have all the necessary capabilities at our disposal.
We know that we need to do more, and we are doing it,” Kauliņš stressed, adding that Latvia has made significant investments in strengthening its layered air defence in recent years.
Kauliņš also noted that Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine demonstrates how diverse and complex modern airborne threats have become.
This means Latvia must be prepared to counter combat aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, as well as unmanned aerial systems.
Different threats can emerge at any time and simultaneously, meaning that
the response must be coordinated, flexible and well integrated, Kauliņš added.
“Allied fighter aircraft, ground-based air defence systems, surveillance systems and counter-drone capabilities all have an important role to play. But their effectiveness depends on our ability to exchange information, follow clear procedures and act quickly together,” Kauliņš stressed.
As previously reported, on the 30th of November, 2023, Latvia’s Ministry of Defence signed a supply contract with German company Diehl Defence for the purchase of the IRIS-T medium-range air defence system.
The 600 million euro supply contract provides for the purchase of equipment necessary for the effective operation of the IRIS-T systems, enabling Latvia to implement layered air defence.