By Sam Cranny-Evans, published on 21st November 2024. 

Latvia and GDELS announced that they had entered into contract negotiations for procurement of the ASCOD platform on the 15th November, with Latvian outlets reporting the news on the 11th November. The decision to procure new infantry fighting vehicles (IFV) was taken in 2023, followed by an analysis and comparison of vehicles and suppliers. According to the Latvian MoD, this included quite typical assessments such as the willingness to involve Latvia’s domestic industry in the production of the vehicles, the performance of the platform, delivery time frames, and the needs of the armed forces. Latvia has requirements for at least 30% of a contract to be sourced from its local industry, which may return up to a billion euros to the country in the next four years.

Earlier announcements from the Latvian MoD indicated that the successful vehicle would need to be in service by 2028 and that it would be used to equip the country’s Mechanised Infantry Brigade, replacing the 197 CVR(T)s that were supplied by the UK. The brigade consists of three mechanised infantry battalions, an artillery formation, two combat support battalions and an HQ. The artillery formation is equipped with the M109 155 mm self-propelled howitzer and is also responsible for maintaining forward observer and JTAC capabilities, which would enable the mechanised brigade to call for close air support. Latvia also procured six HIMARS multiple rocket launchers along with ATACMS missiles from the US in 2023, which will be delivered by 2027. 

The primary vehicles used by the mechanised infantry are the Patria 6×6, as well as the Spartan APC and Scimitar from the CVR(T) family. Mechanising these battalions and equipping them with a true IFV has been set as a priority for the Latvian armed forces and is expected to help them provide a robust and mobile defence against Russian forces in the event of an invasion. To help achieve this goal, Latvia’s parliament has preliminarily approved a defence budget equal to 3.45% of GDP for 2025, over 40% of which will be dedicated to procurement. The country is clear that this increase is because of the war in Ukraine and the threat posed by Russia. 

A Scimitar in service with Latvian armed forces during the Allied Spirit VI exercise. These vehicles will be replaced by the much larger and better protected ASCOD. Credit: Latvian MoD.

For GDELS, Latvia extends the user club of the ASCOD to six, with 1,200 vehicles either already on order or in service. The ASCOD platform has had a mixed reception, the initial design was deemed to lack mine blast protection for Spain, leading to development of ASCOD 2 with improved features in the bottom of the hull. ASCOD 2 formed the base for what is now the UK’s Ajax, the challenges with that platform are fairly well-known, it has struggled with excessive noise and vibration, leading to a redesign and requalification of the hull. The type’s entry into service has been delayed as a result. Nevertheless, ASCOD has been selected since by the US and Philippines as the base for the M10 Booker and Sabrah light tanks respectively, which indicates that the ASCOD 2 and Ajax challenges might be related to the UK. 

Calibre comment

For Latvia, the ASCOD platform offers good survivability that is broadly in line with other NATO IFVs in its class like the CV90. The mobility should be sufficient to meet the country’s needs; with seven roadwheels per side the vehicle’s weight is theoretically distributed over a wide surface area, which reduces its ground pressure and will provide greater off road mobility compared to a design of the same weight with fewer roadwheels. ASCOD can accommodate a variety of turrets including the Sabrah turret from Elbit Systems carrying a 105 mm rifled main gun, and other turrets armed with 30 mm cannons and ATGMs. A modern dual feed 30 mm cannon would provide a significant upgrade over the RARDEN cannon that arms the Scimitar from the CVR(T) family, which must be loaded with three round clips. This means that if the gunner loads armour piercing ammunition and the crew suddenly needs to engage a target with high explosive rounds, there is no choice but to empty the entire clip on the target before switching natures. Dual feed cannons like the Bushmaster can switch between shots, and others like the 40 mm Cased Telescoped Weapon System from CTAI can change natures within a single burst.

It takes a land force to defeat a land force, as Amos Fox recently told me. So, it is encouraging to note that the sum of Latvia’s procurements – which include 300 of the CAVS from Patria, as well as IRIS-T air defence systems from Diehl – will deliver a capable fighting force, which will help deter Russia. Especially when this is combined with recent announcements from Lithuania on the procurement of CV90 and Leopard 2, which indicates that the Baltic states are working hard to increase their land warfare capabilities in a short space of time.