Defense Minister Melnis Faults Predecessor Sprūds Over Costly Swedish Howitzer Deal

Russia's war in Ukraine has shown that ground forces cannot hold a front for long without strong artillery support. Latvia's army already operates self-propelled howitzers purchased from Austria, but military leaders say additional systems are needed that can fire farther and reposition more quickly.

Decision made under Sprūds

While Andris Sprūds led the Ministry of Defense, the ministry selected the Swedish-made 'Archer' artillery howitzer system as the answer to these longer-range and mobility requirements. A letter of intent was signed with Sweden regarding the purchase, and the government later gave its backing to the deal, allocating funding for it.

Contract still pending

Despite time having passed since the decision was made, a final supply contract with the Swedish side has yet to be signed. Current Defense Minister Melnis has criticized his predecessor, arguing that the choice of the 'Archer' system involved excessively high costs, raising questions about the soundness of the original decision.