The National Armed Forces of Latvia will invest 20 million euros to develop drone technology, Defense Minister Andris Spruds announced on Monday, according to a report by Delfi.
Ukraine's experience has demonstrated the critical role drones play in modern warfare, the Defense Minister stated.
"We can announce the launch of this initiative this year. Metaphorically, we are building an army of drones," Spruds said.
This initiative means Latvia will not only supply drones to Ukraine but will also actively integrate these technologies into its own armed forces.
As part of the drone coalition, Latvia will invest up to 20 million euros in supporting Ukraine this year, with a similar amount allocated for developing drones for its military. This funding will cover the creation of infrastructure and the purchase of drones, including at least 10 million euros worth from Latvian enterprises.
The drone testing site is scheduled to start operations at the training ground in Selia in early June.
Additionally, the Baltic region countries have agreed to create a "wall of drones" to protect their external borders using unmanned aerial vehicles.
Furthermore, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba announced that Latvia and Ukraine will jointly increase drone production as part of the "drone coalition."
