Latvian National Guard

National Guard of the Republic of Latvia
Latvijas Republikas Zemessardze
Latvian National Guard emblem
Founded August 23, 1991 (1991-08-23)
Country  Latvia
Allegiance Latvian National Armed Forces
Type Light Infantry volunteer force
Size more than 8,000
Part of Latvian Armed Forces
Garrison/HQ Rīga
Anniversaries August 23, 1991
Commanders
Current
commander		 Brigade General Ainārs Ozoliņš

The Latvian National Guard or NG (Latvian: Latvijas Republikas Zemessardze or 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.

History

National Guard troops firing artillery

The National Guard was established in August 23, 1991 by the Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia as a voluntary public military self-defense organization.[1] Its roots can be traced to the pre-World War II Aizsargi organization. It is the largest NAF 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.[2]

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.

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 NAF 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.[3]

Structure

National Guards during the 2017 May 4 parade
Members of the Latvian Zemessardze 45th Logistics Battalion remove a volunteer patient from a military ambulance in a field at Kuldīga Hospital during a training exercise.
Soldiers from the Latvian National Guard having a conversation with an American soldier from the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade during a training exercise on August 21, 2017.

(as of September 2, 2018:)[4]

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 Support Battalion (Rīga)
  • NG 19th Logistic Battalion (Rīga)
  • NG 53rd Infantry Battalion (Bauska)
  • NG CBRN Defense company (Rīga)

National Guard 2nd Brigade (Valmiera HQ):

  • NG 22nd Infantry Battalion (Valmiera)
  • NG 25th Infantry Battalion (Gulbene)
  • NG 27th Infantry Battalion (Cēsis)
  • NG 31st Infantry Battalion (Alūksne)
  • NG 54th Engineer Battalion (Ogre)

National Guard 3rd Brigade (Rēzekne HQ):

National Guard 4th Brigade (Liepāja HQ):

Equipment

Military vehicles

Name Image Origin Type Variants Quantity Notes
Trucks
Scania  Sweden Truck
P93
Mercedes-Benz  Germany Truck
MB1017
Unimog  Germany Truck
MB406
Volvo  Sweden Truck
VOLVO Viking 939
 Phasing out
Light vehicles
Mercedes-Benz  Germany SUV
MB G-Class 240GD
HMMWV  United States SUV
CUCV  United States SUV
Jeep  United States SUV
Volvo  Sweden SUV
C303
C304
C306
Special vehicles
Bv 206  Sweden Amphibious tracked vehicle
Bv 206A
Bv 206F

Weapons

Name Image Origin Type Variants Quantity Notes
Artillery
vsor 53 Škoda A20  Czechoslovakia Field gun
100mm caliber
 Can be used as anti-tank or light field gun.
Mortars
2B11  Soviet Union Mortar
120 mm caliber
NM 95  United Kingdom
 Norway		 Mortar
81 mm caliber
Anti-tank weapons
Pvpj 1110  Sweden Recoilless rifle
90 mm caliber
Carl Gustav recoilless rifle  Sweden
84 mm caliber
Anti-aircraft gun
Bofors 40mm gun  Sweden
Bofors 40mm L/70
Submachine guns
Carl Gustav  Sweden
M45
 Used mostly for secondary tasks such as training and guard duty.
Assault rifles
Heckler & Koch G36  Germany
Heckler & Koch G36KV
 Expected to replace the Ak 4 in the future, contract signed in February 2018.[5]
Heckler & Koch G3  Sweden
Ak 4
 Standard issue rifle; will be replaced by the H&K G36, contract signed in February 2018.[5]
Machine guns
FN MAG  Belgium

 Sweden
Ksp 58B
M2 Browning  United States
M2
Heckler & Koch HK21  Germany
HK 21
RPK  Soviet Union
RPK
 Being phased out
Sniper rifles
PGM Hécate II  France
Hecate2

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.[6]

References

  1. ↑ Baltiņa, Sarmīte (2014). "Dawn of the Restored Latvian National Armed Forces". Eesti Sõjaajaloo Aastaraamat / Estonian Yearbook of Military History. 4 (0): 62–79. ISSN 2228-0669.
  2. ↑ "Jaunsardzes un informācijas centrs". www.jic.gov.lv. Retrieved 2018-09-17.
  3. ↑ Pike, John. "Latvian National Guard - Zemessardze". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2018-09-17.
  4. ↑ "ZS vienības" (in Latvian). LR Zemessardze. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  5. 1 2 Jones, Bruce (6 February 2018). "Latvia orders infantry small arms". IHS Jane's 360. London. Archived from the original on 7 February 2018. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  6. ↑ "Michigan Guard and Latvia celebrate 25-year partnership". www.army.mil. Retrieved 2018-09-17.
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