Latvian Naval Forces is the naval warfare branch of the National Armed Forces. It is tasked with conducting military, search and rescue operations, mine and explosive sweeping on the Baltic Sea, as well as ecological monitoring activities. The Naval Forces have participated in international NATO/Partnership for Peace operations and various exercises with great success. The main development priorities of the Naval Forces are to expand their activities within the Baltic States’ Ship Squadron BALTRON and to develop a Sea Surveillance System. They pay a great deal of attention to professionally specialized training and English-language teaching.
History
When Latvia regained its independence in 1991, it began recreating the Latvian Naval Forces under the command of Admiral Gaidis Zeibots. In 1994 the Naval Forces were composed of the Southern Region, the Central Region, the Coastal Defense Battalion and the Training Center. The most important naval event of these early days of the re-established Latvian Republic occurred on April 11, 1991 when the Latvian flag was hoisted on the re-established Navy's first ship "SAMS". This date is now recognized as the rebirth of the Latvian Naval Forces. In 1999 the Baltic Naval Squadron was created with ships from the Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian Navies. Latvian Navy Captain Ilmars Lesinskis, then the Commander of the Southern District, was appointed to serve as the first commander of this multi-national force. On July 1, 1999 Latvian Naval Forces were reorganized. The present structure was established on the basis of previous regional units – the War Ships Flotilla, the Coast Guard Ships Flotilla in Riga, the Coastal Defense Battalion in Ventspils, the Training Center in Liepāja, the Logistic Base in Liepāja. On July 1, 2004 Latvian Naval Forces were reorganized again and since that time they consist of the Naval Forces Headquarters, Naval Forces Flotilla HQ with subunits and the Coast Guard Service. The new structure organizes personnel training and specialization better than before, as well as shares greater responsibility between commanders. As part of the program to equip the Naval Forces with modern assets, the first of a new generation of nationally made patrol vessels, made with German assistance, was launched in 2011.
Mission
The Naval Force provides defense of the national territorial waters, carries out explosive ordnance disposal activities at sea and harbors, co-ordinates and carries out human search and rescue operations at sea within the national responsibility area. Warships of the Republic of Latvia have repeatedly made visits to foreign countries and have supported the visits of foreign warships and naval representatives in Latvia. The warships of the Latvian Naval Forces Southern Region have participated in numerous international exercises. These exercises have been conducted to NATO standards, which Latvian ships have successfully met. The main tasks of Naval Forces are to:
Perform a guarding of the coast and control the territorial sea and internal waters, as well as the exclusive economic zone;
Ensure the readiness of units for mobilization and combat;
Participate in ecological surveillance and search and rescue operations at sea, as well as take part in elimination of consequences of emergencies occurring at sea;
Search for explosives at sea and destroy them;
Secure for the State Border Guard according to the procedures specified by the Cabinet, with the technical means and vessels for the performance of their functions at sea.
