Latvia will need its own cruise and ballistic missiles - defense minister

RIGA - The National Armed Forces will soon have to consider acquiring both effective missile defense systems capable of countering ballistic missile strikes as well as long-range offensive weapons - ballistic and cruise missiles, Defense Minister Raivis Melnis said on Wednesday.

According to the Sargs.lv website, two major programs for the development of missile defense and long-range strike capabilities have been launched in Europe.

Ukraine, in cooperation with Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and Great Britain, has formed the anti-ballistic missile coalition. Its goal is to develop an independent and cost-effective European anti-ballistic missile defense system, based on the Freyja interceptor system developed by Ukrainian defense company Fire Point. The coalition's member countries hope to put the system into operation in 2027.

Meanwhile, the European Long-Range Strike Approach initiative (ELSA), involving Great Britain, France, Germany, Poland, and Italy, is aiming to develop next-generation long-range cruise and ballistic missiles with a range exceeding 500 kilometers.

Although Latvia has not yet joined any of these initiatives, Melnis said that the National Armed Forces would have to introduce such offensive and defensive capabilities.

"The need to acquire anti-ballistic defense capabilities does exist. Therefore we will have to decide whether we join one of the programs and work together with other countries, or whether we consider and evaluate what to purchase on our own," said the minister.

The question is whether, in this particular case, it is more advantageous to be part of a group where Latvia can learn from others and possibly acquire weapons at a better price, or to procure them independently.

Russia's war against Ukraine demonstrates the danger posed by ballistic missile strikes. Due to the current global shortages of Patriot PAC-3 interceptor missiles, it is becoming increasingly difficult for Ukraine's defenders to intercept enemy air targets. If Russia were to direct its aggression against Latvia, such systems would be vital for effective air defense.

"We will definitely need them, and we need to start talking about and considering this," Melnis added.

When asked whether Latvia could consider joining Ukraine's anti-ballistic defense coalition, the defense minister remained cautious for the time being.

"I do not want to promise that, but together with the chief of defense, we will soon have to carefully analyze our most urgent needs," Melnis acknowledged.

"All of this must be put on paper and evaluated so that we can understand how we are moving toward this goal," the minister added.

In addition to defense against enemy ballistic missiles, Latvia must also consider its own long-range strike capabilities so that, like Ukraine, it can impact not only the enemy's armed forces but also its economy and resilience. Therefore, a similar assessment is also expected regarding cruise and ballistic missile capabilities.

"These are not just drones, but also missiles. They have a much greater impact and are harder to intercept," said Melnis.

The options for acquiring missiles will need to be assessed in cooperation with partners who are already developing these capabilities or who already possess them, said the minister.