Booms in the Baltic lands: the images of the artillery of the Spanish Army in Latvia

@DefAviation ES 2·17·2023 · 19:39 0

The Spanish Army continues with its deployment in Latvia, within the framework of NATO's eFP Battle Group Latvia to support that allied country.

Soldiers from Spain and Latvia train to fight in a wooded and snowy environment
Spanish participation in the Latvian Independence Day parade

In recent days, this NATO unit - made up of soldiers from Albania, Canada, Slovenia, Spain, Italy and Poland - has released images of the Wolverine Forge exercise, carried out by the Spanish artillery unit together with soldiers from the Latvian Army at Camp Adazi. The Spanish Army has deployed in Latvia M-109A5E self-propelled howitzers and M-548 ammunition vehicles. Currently, the bulk of the Spanish contingent belongs to the Brigade "Guardarrama" XII, based in El Goloso, Madrid. You can see some of those images below.

An impressive image of an M-109A5E moving across snow-covered terrain. In the background, out of focus, is a Mercedes-Benz 290 GD SUV of the Latvian Army.

A Spanish M-109A5E with a white camouflage net for winter environments. Although barely visible in the photo, to the left is an M-548 ammunition vehicle.

A Spanish M-548 ammunition vehicle followed by an M-109A5E self-propelled howitzer, also from the Spanish Army. The Latvian Army had almost fifty M-109A5s, most of them purchased from Austria. Media a dozen of these self-propelled howitzers have been donated by Latvia to Ukraine to counter the Russian invasion.

A Spanish gunner (in the foreground) with a Latvian soldier, both leaning out of the left turret hatch of an M-109.

Two Latvian officers next to a Spanish artillery captain. The Latvian officer on the left wears the patch of the Mechanized Infantry Brigade of the Latvian Army Ground Forces on his right arm. It is the only Latvian brigade, made up of five battalions (two mechanized infantry, one infantry and two support) and one artillery unit.

From left to right, a US Army captain, a Latvian Army virsleitnant (senior lieutenant) and a Spanish captain. The Latvian officer wears the new WoodLatpat camouflage introduced in 2019. In the background we see soldiers Latvians in uniforms with the previous pixelated camouflage, known as LATPAT.

The interior of a Spanish M-548 ammunition vehicle. Above, a Latvian soldier touching the fuze of a 155mm shell. Below, a Spanish artillerywoman carrying another projectile of the same caliber on his shoulder.

A Spanish M-109A5E advancing through the Adazi maneuver field. A Spanish soldier is in the commander's hatch, while a Latvian soldier is in the other.

An impressive photo of the firing of a Spanish M-109A5E. The projectile is clearly seen shooting out of the barrel of the self-propelled howitzer.