Latvian National Guard

The Latvian National Guard or NG (Latvian: Latvijas Republikas Zemessardze, ZS) is a part of the Latvian National Armed Forces. The National Guard is a basic land component, consisting of volunteers who perform traditional national guard duties such as crisis response and support for military operations. It consists of the Staff Headquarters and 4 brigades (formally - regions or novadi), which are divided into 18 battalions. The National Guard continued its development also after Latvia joined NATO.

National Guard of the Republic of Latvia
Latvijas Republikas Zemessardze
Emblem of the Latvian National Guard
Founded	23 August 1991; 33 years ago (1991-08-23)
Country	Latvia
Type	Light Infantry Military volunteer
Size	10,000 personnel[1]
Part of	Latvian National Armed Forces
Garrison/HQ	Maiznīcas iela 5, Rīga, LV-1001
Anniversaries	23 August
Website	https://www.zs.mil.lv
Commanders
Current commander	Brigadier general Kaspars Pudāns[2]
Insignia
Roundel

History

National Guard troops firing artillery

The National Guard was established on August 23, 1991 by the Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia as a voluntary public military self-defense organization.^[3] Its roots can be traced to the pre-World War II Aizsargi organization. It is the largest NBS structure in terms of numbers. The National Guard has always played an essential role in the national defense system by allowing the public to be involved in national defense. A number of National Guard battalions have been transformed into high-readiness reserve forces, which can be deployed immediately on international military operations.

The youth organization of the National Guard, the Youth Guard (Latvian: Latvijas Republikas Jaunsardze, JS), was established in 1992. It is the largest youth movement in Latvia, bringing together young people from the age of 10 to 21.^[4]

An aviation component of the National Guard was introduced in 1993, with a fleet of ex-Soviet DOSAAF light aircraft and gliders. In 2000 the aviation component became part of the Air Force.

In the 1990s, the National Guard troops (much like the regular armed forces) were equipped with leftover Soviet weapons like the AKM, AK-74, SKS rifles and TT and Makarov pistols, alongside early procurements of CZ 82 pistols from the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In the late 1990s, a gradual switch to the Swedish-made Automatkarbin 4 began.^[5] It, in turn, was phased out by the H&K G36 starting from the late-2010s.

Mission

The main task of the National Guard is to support the regular Land Force units by defending the national territory during military threat and to perform NBS combat support and combat logistics functions. At the same time, the National Guard will continue providing assistance to the public regarding crisis control, as well as to the Latvian State Police regarding provision of public law and order, and continue the safeguarding of sites of national security importance.^[6]

Structure

A soldier from the Latvian National Guard's 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Battalion aims at targets during tactical training at the Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center, Mich., during Northern Strike 19.

(as of April 20, 2021:)^[7]

National Guard (NG) Headquarters (Rīga)

• NG Cyber Defense Unit (Rīga)
• NG special task force
• NG Special PSYOPS Support Platoon (Valmiera)
• NG Veterans' Union (Rīga)
• Central Band of the National Guard (Rīga)

National Guard 1st Brigade (Rīga HQ):

• NG Student Infantry Battalion (Rīga)
• NG 13th Infantry Battalion (Rīga)
• NG 17th Combat Support Battalion (Mārupe)
• NG 19th Combat Service Support Battalion (Ulbroka)
• NG 53rd Infantry Battalion (Bauska)
• NG CBRN Defense Company (Rīga)

National Guard 2nd Assault Brigade (Valmiera HQ):

• NG 22nd Combat Service Support Battalion (Valmiera)
• NG 25th Assault Battalion (Gulbene)
• NG 26th Assault Battalion (Gulbene)
• NG 27th Assault Battalion (Cēsis)
• NG 31st Assault Battalion (Alūksne)
• NG 54th Combat Support Battalion (Ogre)

National Guard 3rd Brigade (Rēzekne HQ):

• NG 32nd Infantry Battalion (Rēzekne)
• NG 34th Infantry Battalion (Daugavpils)
• NG 35th Infantry Battalion (Preiļi)
• NG 36th Combat Support Battalion (Lūznava)
• NG 55th Infantry Battalion (Aizkraukle)
• NG 56th Combat Service Support Battalion (Jēkabpils)

National Guard 4th Brigade (Liepāja HQ):

• NG 44th Infantry Battalion (Liepāja)
• NG 45th Combat Service Support Battalion (Kuldīga)
• NG 46th Infantry Battalion (Ventspils)
• NG 51st Infantry Battalion (Dobele)
• NG 52nd Combat Support Battalion (Jelgava)

Equipment

Weapons

Model	Image	Origin	Type	Caliber	Notes
Pistols
Glock pistol		Austria	Semi-automatic pistol	9×19mm Parabellum	Glock 17 variant.[8]
SIG Sauer P210		Switzerland	Semi-automatic pistol	9×19mm Parabellum	[8]
Submachine guns
Carl Gustaf m/45		Sweden	Submachine gun	9×19mm Parabellum	[8]
Heckler & Koch MP5		Germany	Submachine gun	9×19mm Parabellum	MP5A3 variant.[9][10]
Rifles
Heckler & Koch G36		Germany	Assault rifle	5.56×45mm NATO	Main service rifle. Has mostly replaced the Ak4, first contract signed in February 2018.[11]
Heckler & Koch G3		Sweden	Battle rifle	7.62×51mm NATO	Ak4 variant, donated from Sweden.[8] Being replaced by G36.[12] Used mostly as a reserve weapon. Replaced Soviet rifles
Sniper rifles
M14 rifle		United States	Battle rifle	7.62×51mm NATO	Large number of rifles were donated by USA after restoration of independence.[13] Modified M-14s used as sniper rifles.[14][15]
SIG Sauer SSG 3000		Germany	Sniper rifle	7.62×51mm NATO	[15]
Machine guns
RPK		Soviet Union	Light machine gun	7.62×39mm	[16]
Heckler & Koch HK21		Germany	General-purpose machine gun	7.62×51mm NATO	[8]
Rheinmetall MG3		Germany	General-purpose machine gun	7.62×51mm NATO	[8]
FN MAG		Sweden	General-purpose machine gun	7.62×51mm NATO	Kulspruta 58 B variant.[8]
M2 Browning		United States	Heavy machine gun	.50 BMG	[15]
Anti-tank weapons
AT4		Sweden	Recoilless rifle	84 mm	[16]
Carl Gustav		Sweden	Recoilless rifle	84 mm	M2 variant used by the National Guard.[8]
Pvpj 1110		Sweden	Recoilless rifle	90 mm	130 units, some on motorized platforms.[8][17]
100 mm vz. 53		Czechoslovakia	Field gun	100 mm	23 guns in inventory.[17]
Anti-aircraft weapons
Bofors 40 mm gun		Sweden	Anti-aircraft autocannon	40 mm	24 guns in inventory.[8][17] Used with CIG-790 fire control system.[18]
Mortars
L16 81mm mortar		United Kingdom  Norway	Mortar	81 mm	28 mortars in inventory.[17]
120-PM-43 mortar		Soviet Union	Mortar	120 mm	25 mortars in inventory.[17] Received from the Czech Republic in 1995.[19]

Military vehicles

Model	Image	Origin	Type	Quantity	Notes
Armoured personnel carriers
Patria 6×6		Finland  Latvia	Armoured personnel carrier	>4	Approximately 200 vehicles (together with Latvian Land Forces) on order. To be delivered 2021–2029.[20][21]
Trucks
Scania 3-series		Sweden	Truck	50	Model P93M. Purchased from Norway between 2014 and 2015.[22][23]
Mercedes-Benz Unimog		Germany	Truck		Model 416.[23][24]
Volvo C303		Sweden	Truck		Model Tgb 11, Tgb 13 and Tgb 211A.[24]
Light vehicles
Mercedes-Benz G-Class		Germany	SUV		Model 240GD and 290GD.[23]
Volkswagen Iltis		Germany	SUV		[24]
CUCV		United States	SUV		Model M1008.[23][24]
Special vehicles
Bv 206		Sweden	Amphibious tracked vehicle		Model Bv 206 and PvBv 2062.[23][25]
Husky VMMD		United States	Route clearance vehicle	3	Three Husky 2G vehicles provided to the 54th Engineers Battalion by the US in 2019.[26]
PTS		Soviet Union	Amphibious tracked transporter		In reserve in the 54th Engineers Battalion[27]
Artillery
M109A5Ö Rechenstellenpanzer M109 Driver training vehicle		United States  Austria	Self-propelled artillery		35 howitzers, 10 command and control vehicles and 2 driver training vehicles purchased for Latvian Land Forces and National Guard from Austria in 2017.[28] Additional 18 howitzers received in 2021.[29] 6 howitzers were donated to Ukraine.[30]

Cooperation

The National Guard has established close co-operation with similar organizations abroad – the US Michigan Army National Guard, the Australian Army Reserve, the UK Territorial Army, and the Home Guard organizations of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Lithuania and Estonia.^[31]

Gallery

• 
  54th Engineer Battalion on parade at the 20th anniversary of the Zemessardze, 2011. Enlisted soldiers are wearing the now-obsolete U.S. Woodland camouflage pattern.
• 
  A NG soldier at the Strong Guard 2016 exercise near Tukums, wearing the LATPAT pattern
• 
  Joint exercise with U.S. Army soldiers in 2017. Woodland, LATPAT and MultiLATPAT (on modular vest) patterns visible.
• 
  Servicemembers from the NG's Student Battalion and the Michigan National Guard at the National Clean-up Day in 2018
• 
  Commanding staff of the 44th Infantry Battalion in 2021, using the current WoodLatPat uniform