The NATO Communications and Information (NCI) Agency successfully delivered on 29 August 2019 new voice communication equipment for air command and control to the Latvian Air Force.
This newly acquired equipment will be used to strengthen national and NATO-related air policing missions, in cooperation with other Baltic Nations.
The NCI Agency's Directorate of Air and Missile Defence Command and Control (AMDC2) procured the capability from a consortium formed by CS, Communication and Systèmes and Thales Norway.
The handover of the equipment to the Latvian Ministry of Defence was witnessed by representatives from the Latvian Air Force, the consortium and the NCI Agency.
Frederic Cloutier, AMDC2 Project Implementation Branch Chief, said: "The NCI Agency was proud to support Latvia in taking on a larger operational role in the Baltics, and in NATO, with the delivery of this voice communication capability. Delivering a complex system such as this would not have been possible without strong commitment and tireless effort from all involved."
He also acknowledged that the excellent support provided by the Latvian team was crucial to overcoming implementation challenges.
This marks the third delivery of such equipment. Lithuania, Iceland and now Latvia have the new equipment, which is used in an operational environment. The capability will be delivered in 2019 to Romania, Bulgaria and Estonia.