The vehicles will be assembled and maintained at the Defence Partnership Latvia (DPL) facility in Valmiera, which opened one year ago and coincides with the fifth anniversary of Patria’s presence in Latvia.
The first completed units are expected to roll off the line in June 2026.
Under the contract signed in January 2025 between the Latvian Ministry of Defence and GDELS-Santa Bárbara Sistemas, Latvia will acquire 42 ASCOD IFVs at a total cost of €373 million. The decision followed extensive evaluations of IFV platforms throughout 2023, including functional testing and a detailed assessment of operational, industrial, and economic criteria.
The ASCOD vehicles will feature NATO-standard Level 4 armour, automatic cannons, machine guns, anti-tank systems, and advanced battlefield technologies. Designed for a three-person crew, each IFV can carry six fully equipped troops and is optimised for high-intensity, network-enabled operations.
Uģis Romanovs, Chairman of the Board at Patria Latvia and Defence Partnership Latvia, said:
“The assembly and servicing of ASCOD Infantry Fighting Vehicles mark a significant step in the development of our military manufacturing and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capabilities in Latvia. Our experience with the production of 6×6 armoured vehicles, combined with the transfer of technology and expertise from Patria, demonstrates our ability to handle complex and precise military vehicle manufacturing, assembly, and maintenance tasks.”
GDELS-Santa Bárbara Sistemas Vice President Alejandro Page Hernandez added:
“The assembly and production of ASCOD components in Latvia will strengthen the security of military supply chains, improve delivery responsiveness, and contribute significantly to the growth of the local defence industry, while also supporting the broader Latvian economy.”
The collaboration represents a strategic step forward in regional defence autonomy and industrial resilience. Local assembly will reduce reliance on external supply chains while increasing domestic capability in advanced land systems manufacturing.
Operational deployment of the first ASCOD IFVs is scheduled for autumn 2026, signalling a new chapter in Latvia’s defence modernisation programme and the development of its national defence industry.