The ability of the Latvian Armed Forces to counter aerial threats will never be absolute, said Defense Minister Andris Spruds in an interview with the 'Morning Panorama' program of Latvian Television, LETA reports.
He noted that Latvia is doing everything possible for both detecting drones and countering them, however, "the wall of drones will never be made of stone or concrete, just as Israel's 'Iron Dome' is neither iron nor a dome, but capabilities." This is a reality that must be recognized, but these capabilities need to be constantly developed, which Latvia is doing, the minister emphasized.
Spruds reminded that since the beginning of the year, the Latvian Armed Forces have access to domestically produced intercepting drones, and this year it is planned to acquire at least another 500 such devices.
Speaking about the development of the unmanned aerial vehicle industry, the politician noted that Latvia already has significant achievements in this field; however, in the future, there needs to be a targeted move towards the implementation of autonomous systems that will make life safer and can replace humans when necessary. For this, highly qualified specialists will also be required, but the good news is that Latvian companies can already afford to attract such specialists at an international level, the minister said.
Spruds repeatedly emphasized that the country can be proud of its achievements in the drone industry, but this should not be a stopping point. Latvia's defense must strive for self-sufficiency, but complacency has no place here, the politician noted.
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