Four multinational military exercises involving the Latvian National Armed Forces along with Allied armed forces are to be held in Latvia.
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Press Release, Riga, 17 March 2025: On Tuesday, March 11, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the participation of units of the National Armed Forces in four joint military exercises with units of Allied armed forces in the territory of the Republic of Latvia.
“The conduct of international exercises in Latvia confirms the presence of our Allies and their readiness to strengthen our defence capabilities. These military exercises allow our soldiers to train in combat readiness, cooperation with our Allies and the ability to respond to security challenges. We are united and determined to defend Latvia, which is NATO’s external border,” said Minister of Defence Andris Sprūds.
It is planned that the SOLAR ECLIPSE, CRYSTAL ARROW, SWIFT RESPONSE and BALTOPS military exercises will each involve units of the National Armed Forces and more than 500 soldiers from Allied countries.
SOLAR ECLIPSE is a tactical field exercise for Combat Support Specialists focusing on indirect fire support during fighting in depth, which will improve their skills. The National Armed Forces will train brigades to fight in depth, involving reconnaissance, artillery, anti-tank and command management functions.
The military exercise CRYSTAL ARROW is training for the multinational brigade in Latvia and the headquarters and units of the Mechanised Infantry Brigade of the Land Forces focused on improving command management, planning and conducting operations, and conducting defence operations in conditions as close to reality as possible. During the exercise, the National Armed Forces will train in defence operations, as well as the integration of combat support and logistic elements in the execution of brigade-level operations.
SWIFT RESPONSE is an exercise organised by the US Army Europe and Africa to develop intelligence capabilities of the National Armed Forces, their support to Allied infiltration operations and counter-landing operations.
BALTOPS is an annual NATO exercise in the Baltic Sea region, involving full-spectrum maritime warfare operations in five operational theatres – sea, land, air, cyberspace and space. By participating in the exercise, the National Armed Forces will promote mutual cooperation, strengthen their ability to react rapidly using all types of forces, and demonstrate NATO’s commitment to regional stability and readiness to defend the Baltic Sea region if required.
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