Latvia signed a contract for the purchase of 42 BMPs from a European defense company

The Latvian National Armed Forces have signed a €373 million contract with General Dynamics European Land Systems - Santa Bárbara Sistemas for the purchase of 42 ASCOD infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs). This was reported by Defense Blog on January 31.

Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds called the deal an important milestone in the modernization of the Latvian Armed Forces.

"The purchase of new and modern infantry fighting vehicles marks a new chapter in the mechanization of the Latvian Army Ground Forces. At the same time, it is a great agreement for our national military industry, which will take part in the production of the new combat vehicles," Spruds said.

Alejandro Page Hernandez, vice president of Spanish defense company General Dynamics European Land Systems - Santa Bárbara Sistemas, stressed that the company is looking forward to continuing cooperation in order to "jointly strengthen Latvia's military potential."

ASCOD infantry fighting vehicles are equipped with NATO STANAG 4569 level four armor, automatic cannon, anti-tank missiles and machine guns, as well as battlefield situational awareness technology. Each vehicle has a crew of three and is capable of carrying and deploying six soldiers in full combat gear.

Earlier, last November, the Ministry of Coast Guard of the Republic of Lithuania reported that Lithuania had transferred electric generators, spare parts for M113 armored vehicles, various weapons and their parts to the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU).