U.S. heavy weaponry to be deployed in Latvia from autumn 2015

Latvia’s Chief of Defence, Lieutenant General Raimonds Graube confirmed on July 31, 2015, the deployment of heavy weaponry from the United States to Latvia will begin in autumn this year.

The U.S. Defence Secretary Ashton Carter said during a visit to Estonia in June this year, that the U.S. military will send 250 units of heavy weaponry to the Baltic States and Eastern Europe.

The equipment will include dozens of tanks, Bradley armored fighting vehicles and self-propelled howitzers.

Bulgaria, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Romania will each receive military equipment, which can serve a company, troops or a battalion. 

The units will be deployed temporarily, and the equipment will be rotated around the region for training purposes.

The purpose of the deployment of heavy weaponry in these countries is to assist NATO allies in tackling terror threats and deterring increasing Russian aggression in the region. 

The U.S. Defense Secretary confirmed the country has no plans to permanently station its troops in the Baltic States.

The troops will be stationed in the region on a temporary basis. 

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