15,000 hectares for defense: the Selija training ground elevates army preparation to a new level 0 8

If until now the National Armed Forces (NAF) trained units at the level of companies and battalions, the Selija training ground allows for brigade-level training, involving from 1,500 to approximately 5,000 servicemen with assigned weapons and transport systems, explained Miezitis.

Other training grounds available to the NAF do not provide the necessary scale of training, he acknowledged. "By starting to intensively use the Selija training ground, we are essentially opening a new chapter and facilitating the training of units," said Miezitis.

The colonel noted that for the State Center for Military Facilities and Procurement, this is the most significant project, including from a construction perspective.

Speaking about the expropriation of land for the needs of the training ground, Miezitis emphasized that the NAF is very responsive to the residents and assesses the possibilities of adapting to their needs.

As reported, the opening of the Selija training ground's shooting zone will take place on Friday, the NAF informed the LETA agency.

The training ground provides new training infrastructure, including shooting ranges for the use of various types of weapons and weapon systems, enhancing the training capabilities of the armed forces and allied units in Latvia.

The training ground is seen as one of the most significant projects in Latvia's defense infrastructure, which will provide a training environment for the armed forces of Latvia and allied countries. The development of the military training ground is being carried out in stages.

The first phase is being implemented from 2022 to 2025 and provides initial operational capabilities. As part of this phase, a logistics support area for units up to the company level, an ammunition storage area, a 300-meter shooting range, a tactical shooting range for infantry platoons, a shooting range for machine guns and snipers, as well as an unexploded ordnance area have been constructed. The commissioning of the facilities built as part of the first phase is planned for early 2026.

During the first phase, 11 state properties with a total area of 15,430 hectares were transferred, and 14 privately owned properties with a total area of 160 hectares were expropriated. The total developed area is 15,590 hectares, which is approximately 61% of the planned area of the training ground. At the same time, the marking of the external boundary of the area transferred as part of the first phase has been completed. The cost of developing the first phase is about 36.5 million euros.

The second phase of the training ground is planned for the period from 2026 to 2029 and aims to achieve full operational readiness by developing collective training infrastructure, with the main priority being to ensure maneuverability for brigade-level exercises. On September 23, 2025, the Cabinet of Ministers supported the partial implementation of the second phase of the training ground under a public-private partnership model, and on October 9, the Ministry of Defense signed an agreement with the State Real Estate Agency "Valsts nekustamie īpašumi" for the implementation of the project.

Tactical and engineering exercises, movement of armored vehicles, aircraft flights, and training in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles are already taking place at the military training ground. The exercises involve NAF servicemen, including those from the National Guard and the State Defense Service, as well as units from allied countries. Several international military exercises are planned to be held at the training ground in 2026.

The decision of the NATO summit in Madrid in 2022 to increase the presence of allied forces in the Baltic states has contributed to the need for the development of additional training infrastructure in Latvia. The decision to construct the Selija training ground is a strategic decision by Latvia to strengthen the country's defense capabilities.

The establishment of the military training ground is provided for by the law on the establishment of the Selija training ground, which came into force on June 29, 2023.