German company Diehl Defence has signed a memorandum of understanding with Latvia’s Ripo Remonta Centrs to establish a joint venture supporting ground-based air defense systems across the Baltic region.
The agreement covers maintenance, repair, and technical support for capabilities such as Diehl’s proprietary IRIS-T SLM, which is already being procured by Latvia and Estonia under a 2023 contract, with deliveries expected to begin in 2026.
The planned venture will anchor a regional service hub in Latvia, enabling faster support for Baltic and nearby European users.
Officials pursued the deal during a mid-March visit by Latvian Defense Minister Andris Sprūds, who met with German counterpart Boris Pistorius.
‘Important Step’
According to the consortium, the venture will tap local expertise and expand regional industrial capacity while advancing Diehl’s lifecycle management strategy, which integrates in-country support networks outside Germany.
“The cooperation with a local partner ensures that customers receive immediate service when and where required, leading to a high availability of the supported systems,” said Oliver Haas, senior vice president for customer support at Diehl.
Meanwhile, Sprūds called the agreement “an important step” for both airspace security and domestic industry, saying it will “ensure operative technical support … and strengthen the combat readiness of our armed forces.”
Ripo Remonta Centrs Board Member Ivo Rubīns added that the project will help the company “acquire new technical knowledge, expand our team, and build new infrastructure.”
