In the wake of a growing number of aerial incursions by drones, Latvia is deploying mobile drone defense teams modeled on Ukrainian practice at its border with Russia. The teams, consisting of up to four soldiers, are equipped with all-terrain vehicles and interceptor drones from the two local manufacturers Origin Robotics and Eraser, according to the Latvian Competence Centre for Autonomous Systems, which announced this on Friday of last week. The units were to be ready for operation within a few days.
Their exact number was not disclosed. However, covering the entire 400-kilometer border would require a substantial effort, which given the strain on the Latvian armed forces is not a long-term solution, the competence centre said. In the long term, a move toward an automated solution with launchers deployed along the border is planned. Latvia has already installed a network of acoustic sensors that, in conjunction with optical and radar sensors, is intended to detect drones.
Latvia also hosts a NATO drone defense firing range
Last month the Latvian government was swept into a controversy following another series of airspace violations by Ukrainian combat drones en route to targets in northern Russia. According to the competence center, these were diverted to Latvia by Russian electronic warfare measures (EloKa). One drone merely crossed the country’s airspace, while another crashed and a third hit an empty fuel depot. In total, there have been at least 24 drone incidents across the three Baltic states since early 2025.
Latvia also hosts a NATO drone defense firing range at the Sēlija training area. Due to the urgent situation, this has been exempted from various restrictions, including EloKa measures and high-altitude drone flights. The Autonomous Systems Competence Center is also authorized to procure rapidly. In addition to interceptor drones and EloKa as well as inexpensive flight-forces systems, an automated turret for a 12.7 mm machine gun is currently being tested here, with a demonstration planned in a few weeks.
