The Ministry of Defense previously said that following the incursion of a Russian Shahed drone in the Rēzekne municipality on September 7, the National Armed Forces (NBS) have further reinforced their air defense capabilities on the eastern border by sending additional units to the border.
On Tuesday, October 1, Defense Minister Andris Sprūds (Progressives) said that Air Force mobile battle groups armed with air defense missiles had been sent to Latgale, while radars specially designed for drone detection have been deployed on the border.
Both professional soldiers and conscripts take part in air defense operations, Sprūds noted.
According to the defense industry portal "Sargs.lv", the mobile combat groups of the air defense division are conducting round-the-clock air defense of the eastern airspace of Latvia, preventing the recurrence of similar cases.
Although there were no casualties and no damage in the September 7 incident, it has prompted a review of the current approach to protecting the country's airspace, "Sargs.lv" notes.
The Sargs.lv team also went to the radar position - it is located on a hill, and although the radar antenna is more than 10 meters high, driving along the winding country roads of Latgale, it is not immediately visible. The radar's location is camouflaged by a special camouflage net that reflects magnetic radiation, blending in with the surrounding landscape. The radar mast, on the other hand, resembles one of the many electricity pylons, the portal reports.
"This radar is excellent for covering the gaps that large radars are unable to cover, namely detecting small objects flying at low altitudes," explained the commander of the Air Defense Division, Major Imants Kleinbergs.
Kleinbergs said that after September 7, when air defense in south-eastern Latvia was reinforced, the airspace picture had become clearer. Objects that had remained unnoticed are now also visible.
According to Kleinbergs, several mobile battle groups armed with RBS-70 short-range air defense equipment have been deployed in the radar's field of view. He did not disclose the size of the battle groups, but stressed that they are not stationary. While one group is in a firing position, waiting for a possible target for destruction, another group is changing positions, moving from one previously reconnoitred area to another.
There are also reserve groups that can be called up quickly to carry out tasks should the need arise.
Kleinbergs said that this type of air defense combat duty will become routine in Latgale, as there is no end date to the task.
