On Friday, October 31st, in Trubia, Spain, during the visit of Defence Minister Andris Sprūds, a contract was signed with Rheinmetall Expal Munitions for the purchase of C-5 anti-tank mines , according to a release from the Defence Ministry.
“Spain is an important ally for both NATO and the security of our region. This agreement and further cooperation with the Spanish defence industry will significantly strengthen Latvia’s defence capabilities and provide additional security for our country. Anti-tank mines will significantly strengthen the capabilities of the National Armed Forces to limit the mobility of the enemy on the battlefield,” said Sprūds at the signing ceremony.
The total contract value is around seven million euros (excluding VAT), but the number of mines purchased has not been disclosed. The C-5 anti-tank mines are equipped with a high explosive charge, intended to incapacitate armoured vehicles and serves as a significant deterrent in the implementation of enemy operations.
A day earlier on October 30th, Sprūds met with Spanish Minister of Defence Margarita Robles Fernández to discuss cooperation between the two countries.
During the ministerial talks, the “Hunter” version of the “ASCOD” infantry fighting vehicle specially developed for Latvia, using the European Security Action Fund (SAFE) mechanism, was discussed. The expansion of the presence of the Spanish armed forces in Latvia, further cooperation opportunities in joint procurement and mutual cooperation between the defense industries were also discussed.
Spanish national day celebrations in Rīga
Photo: Gatis Dieziņš (Aizsardzības ministrija)
It has already been reported that in January this year, the Ministry of Defence signed a contract with the Spanish company “GDELS-Santa Bárbara Sistemas” for the supply of 42 “Hunter” infantry fighting vehicles to the National Armed Forces. In turn, in June, the Ministry of Defence signed a contract with the Spanish company “GDELS-Santa Bárbara Sistemas” for the purchase of an additional 42 infantry fighting vehicles. As a result, a total of 84 vehicles will be delivered to Latvia. The involvement of the Latvian defence industry in the execution of the order is planned to be at least 30%.
Spain is also one of the 13 member states of the NATO Multinational Brigade in Latvia and in response to the need to strengthen the defence capabilities of the Baltic region following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, on June 26th, 2022, a Spanish-supplied NASAMS surface-to-air missile battery was deployed at the National Armed Forces Air Base in Lielvārde.
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