The State Defence Concept

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE REPUBLIC OF LATVIA The State Defence Concept Confirmed by the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Latvia on 20April 2012 Approved by the Saeima (Parliament) on 10 May 2012 The State Defence Concept Confirmed by the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Latvia on 20April 2012 Approved by the Saeima (Parliament) on 10 May 2012 to the support for land operations and provision of Executive summary host nation support capabilities. The National Guard serves as the main NAF re- The State Defence Concept outlines the fundamen- serve base that is being developed by attracting re- tal strategic principles of national defence, mid-term serve soldiers and reservists and involving them in and long-term priorities and measures both in peace- public self-defence. time and in case national security is threatened. In order to facilitate Latvia’s contribution to inter- The fundamental strategic principle of national de- national security and implementation of the principle fence is to minimise the potential for threats to national of collective defence, Latvia, together with Allies and security. By continuing to improve and modernise the partners must participate in international operations. national defence capabilities, by strengthening North Military integration of the Baltic States makes it pos- Atlantic Treaty Organization’s collective defence and sible to jointly develop capabilities that Latvia could by contributing to international security, both bilateral- not develop on its own, as well as makes it possible ly and multilaterally, Latvia reduces the risk of external to increase our investment in the North Atlantic Treaty military aggression or an outbreak of other national Organization. The NAF must strengthen cooperation threats, and, if necessary, is ready to ensure effective with the Baltic States’ armed forces, more closely inte- deterrence measures. grating the present and jointly developing new military The national defence capacity rests upon the capabilities in long-term perspective. planned, coherent and coordinated political leader- The NAF also provides support to other state insti- ship, as well as the cooperation between state and tutions, local governments and society, according to local authorities, the National Armed Forces (here- the laws and regulations, using the available military The State Defence inafter — NAF) and society. It is a significant precon- capabilities. In peacetime, the NAF, the Bank of Lat- dition for preventing and defeating threats to national via Security Department, and the State Border Guard security and for dealing with consequence manage- ensure interoperability, taking into account that these Concept ment. institutions operate under command of the NAF in The basis for national defence is the NAF, which time of crisis. is being developed as a defence asset that is profes- In order to increase the effectiveness of national sionally trained and equipped with modern technol- defence, it is of decisive importance to ensure a long- ogy. In ensuring national defence, the quality of the term national defence funding mechanism, which NAF capabilities is a priority. Likewise, the competi- would provide for a gradual increase of national de- tiveness of the profession of a soldier, his professional fence funding each year, so that it would reach 2% of development and motivation are of high importance. the gross domestic product in the future. It would be Taking into account the national and collective de- necessary to achieve this objective by 2020, and this fence needs, as well as the available resources for the is connected with the state economic growth and is implementation of national defence, the development based on efficient use of the financial resources of of the Land Forces component, which forms the core the defence sector, and is facilitating the development of the NAF capabilities, is a key priority for the NAF and modernisation of the NAF. The concept should be capability development and distribution of resources. implemented in accordance with the state budget for The development of other capabilities is closely linked the current year. 2 Introduction economic situation, the development of the Baltic States, the Nordic countries and the of crucial transport and communications National Armed Forces must be continued United States of America, which is the most infrastructure. 1. The State Defence Concept is a policy plan- and the frozen projects must be resumed. important strategic partner for Latvia, is es- 10. New fighting techniques, technology de- ning document that outlines the fundamen- In the long run, no military capability short- sential in providing security for Latvia and the velopment and application trends must be tal strategic principles of military defence, falls are allowed that would hamper the entire region. taken into account while ensuring national priorities and measures for ensuring na- completion of the tasks laid out for the Na- 8. While the potential for direct military con- defence. Latvia, being a democratic country tional defence. The State Defence Concept tional Armed Forces. frontation on Latvian territory is relatively with an open society, still must pay attention provides guidelines for peacetime and in low, it cannot be completely ruled out. to the information space, which may be used case national security is threatened. 1. International Security The outbreak of such conflicts cannot be to influence society and create domestic in- 2. The State Defence Concept has been de- Environment excluded also in the international security stability in crisis or peacetime. Cyber attacks veloped based on Article 29 of the National environment, taking into consideration the aimed at weakening the command, control Security Law, and is based on the Military 5. The international security environment is rising military potential in various countries and communications are also very likely. Threat Analysis. The State Defence Con- changeable, complex and difficult to predict. of the world, as well as their efforts to ex- 11. National defence and security are affected cept has been prepared according to Lat- Due to the globalisation process, Latvia pand their influence in world politics. Lat- by risks related to rapid technological prog- via’s geopolitical situation, national security has established closer ties with countries in via’s security is strengthened by NATO’s ress, where the most negative impact may and foreign policy objectives, as well as different regions of the world. Consequent- military power, which guarantees the capa- be posed by a combination of high-technol- Latvia’s commitments as a member state of ly, any political, social, military or economic bilities to mitigate these threats. ogy with weapons of mass destruction and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and instability, even in the remote parts of the 9. In national defence planning, Latvia, like electromagnetic weapons. the European Union. world can pose a direct or indirect threat the other NATO and EU member states, 12. In the future, the most likely national threats 3. The State Defence Concept provides the to Latvia’s national security. This fact con- takes into account global threats that may will be caused by hybrid attacks which will be basis for planning specific national defence stitutes the basis for planning the develop- affect the national security directly or in- interconnected and difficult to predict. These activities, resources necessary for the imple- ment of the National Armed Forces (here- directly, that is, the proliferation of weap- attacks will combine both conventional and mentation thereof, the development of the inafter — NAF). ons of mass destruction, and the activities non-conventional methods of warfare, in- National Armed Forces , the required readi- 6. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (here- of terrorist groups and radical extremists. cluding terrorist attacks, organised criminal ness level and action of state and local au- inafter — NATO) and the European Union These threats are facilitated by internation- activities, cyber attacks, information war- thorities, individual and legal entities during (hereinafter — EU) have a central role in al conflicts or instability in certain regions. fare and psychological operations. The ad- peacetime and in case national security is ensuring security, stability and cooperation International piracy risk is significant as versary will be able to operate, affecting threatened. in the Euro-Atlantic area. The collective de- well, as it threatens access to strategic re- both physically and virtually by land, sea, 4. Taking into account the national economic fence principle of NATO, along with the EU’s sources or their delivery routes and has a air, space and cyberspace. situation and the significantly reduced de- mutual assistance clause, are a stable foun- particularly negative impact on safe navi- fence funding, the implementation of na- dation for Latvia’s national security and de- gation. For ensuring national defence, 2. Strategic Principle and Key tional defence activities and fulfilling the fence that effectively helps to minimise any it is important to prevent any possible Tasks of National Defence legislatively defined functions and tasks of external threat to national security. risks associated with access to strategic the National Armed Forces is ensured in 7. As a country of the Baltic Sea region, Lat- resources, paying particular attention to 13. The fundamental strategic principle

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