Discussions are currently taking place at various levels with multiple manufacturers regarding the potential production of large-calibre ammunition in Latvia, in order to find the most suitable solution for the needs of the National Armed Forces (NAF), the Ministry of Defence (MoD) Press Department confirmed to news agency LETA.
Aivars Puriņš, State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, confirmed to LETA that one of the parties involved in these talks is the German defence industry giant Rheinmetall.
At present, it is not yet known where such a facility might be located or whether a new factory would need to be built, or if existing premises could be repurposed, Puriņš noted.
It is also unclear how extensively the Latvian state might participate in such a project. Furthermore, Puriņš stated that other ministries are also involved in the discussions.
On Monday, news agency Bloomberg, citing sources familiar with the matter, reported that the Latvian government is engaged in preliminary talks with Rheinmetall regarding military equipment production in Latvia.
The negotiations are part of broader regional efforts by the Baltic States to strengthen their defence in response to persistent threats from Russia.
Although the talks are still in their early stages and the outcome remains uncertain, a Rheinmetall spokesperson acknowledged that discussions had taken place but declined to share further details, citing the preliminary nature of the negotiations.
If the deal goes forward, it could resemble Rheinmetall’s cooperation with Lithuania, where the company is currently building an ammunition factory.
It has also been reported that Latvia has been in contact with the Italian defence company Leonardo—another major player in Europe’s defence industry. Leonardo has not provided any comments regarding this matter.