The Latvian Ministry of Defence’s Project HUNTER infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) program is accelerating rapidly, with the delivery of the second ASCOD 2 vehicle and the scheduled shipment of three additional units to Latvia this month. This rapid pace of acquisition highlights a seamless transition from contract signature to real-world capability, a critical timeline driven by Latvia’s urgent requirement to modernize its mechanized infantry forces. The Baltic nation initiated the procurement process following the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, seeking a modern successor to its aging, second-hand British Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) (CVR(T)) fleet, which includes the FV103, FV104, and FV107 variants. By replacing these legacy platforms, which lack the advanced survivability and electronic architectures necessary for the modern peer-to-peer battlefield, Riga is also able to free up its older armored assets to support Ukraine’s ongoing defense efforts.
The procurement framework transitioned swiftly from evaluation to industrial execution within a remarkably tight schedule. Following the formal selection of General Dynamics European Land Systems’ (GDELS) ASCOD 2 platform in November 2024, Latvia finalized an initial contract in January 2025 for 42 vehicles valued at approximately €373 million, a package that includes comprehensive logistics support. Demonstrating strong political consensus and a heightened sense of regional urgency, the Latvian parliament approved a second batch of 42 additional vehicles in June 2025. To ensure strategic autonomy and foster domestic defense industrial capacity, Finnish defense contractor Patria announced in May 2025 that it would handle the local assembly of the vehicles under license within Latvia, aligning with the programmatic timeline to deliver the remaining 41 units from the initial batch throughout 2027.
Technically, the Latvian ASCOD 2 configuration represents a highly capable, heavily protected medium armored platform tailored for high-intensity European theater operations. The vehicle’s mobility and automotive performance are anchored by a Renk HSWL256B transmission integrated with lightweight segmented rubber tracks supplied by Soucy, which reduce acoustic and vibration signatures while improving fuel efficiency. Survivability is a core focus of the configuration, featuring base armor certified to STANAG 4569 Level 4 ballistic and blast protection. Furthermore, the platform utilizes an open electronic architecture and an advanced Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (C4I) system, ensuring seamless digital integration and future-proofing for subsystem upgrades over the vehicle’s lifecycle.
The primary lethality and defensive suite of the Latvian variant is centered around the Elbit Systems UT30 Mk2 remote weapon station, procured under a separate contract in April 2025. This unmanned turret is armed with a Northrop Grumman Mk44 Bushmaster II 30 mm (30×173 mm) autocannon, providing substantial firepower against light armor and entrenched infantry. For advanced defensive capabilities, the turret integrates the Iron Fist hard-kill active protection system (APS) to intercept incoming anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) and rocket-propelled grenades. To round out its anti-armor capabilities, the Latvian MoD is considering the integration of the Spike LR2 ATGM, a missile system already successfully paired with the UT30 Mk2 turret on Romania’s Piranha V IFV fleet, which would provide the Latvian Army with a potent over-the-horizon tank-killing capability.
