The Latvian government has signed a deal with GDELS-Santa Bárbara Sistemas to procure 42 ASCOD infantry fighting vehicles for the Latvian Armed Forces.
The 370-million-euro ($385-million) procurement includes logistics support. The delivery schedule, however, has not been disclosed.
“Procurement of new and modern infantry fighting vehicles marks a new chapter in the mechanisation of the Latvian Army’s Land Forces,” Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds said.
“At the same time, this is a great agreement for our national military industry, which will take part in the provision of new fighting vehicles.”
Procurement Process
The procurement process for the vehicles was launched in early 2023 with the selection of several potential suppliers.
Functional tests were held in Autumn 2023, followed by an in-depth analysis by the military.
The assessment included platform costs, equipment availability, local industry engagement requirements, and delivery deadlines.
“We are grateful that our ‘ASCOD’ infantry fighting vehicle has been selected by the Latvian National Armed Forces as the winner of an international competition,” Vice President of GDELS-Santa Bárbara Sistemas Alejandro Page said.
“We are looking forward to collaborating with the national defense industry to jointly strengthen Latvia’s military capabilities and to proudly deliver this great vehicle to our new customer.”
ASCOD Infantry Fighting Vehicle
The ASCOD comes with NATO STANAG 4569 level four armor, providing protection from kinetic and mine blast threats, including 14.5×114 mm machine gun and 20 mm autocannon rounds.
In addition to three crew, the tracked vehicle can accommodate six soldiers with full combat equipment.
It is equipped with an auto cannon, anti-tank weapons, machine guns, and advanced technologies to aid the battlefield situational awareness of soldiers.
