Latvia drops Swedish Archer deal for cheaper Czech howitzers

Latvia’s government has reversed an earlier decision and will buy cheaper Czech-made self-propelled howitzers instead of Sweden’s 155-millimetre wheeled Archer artillery systems, LSM reported, citing the LETA news agency.

The Defence Ministry began researching the market for 155-millimetre wheeled artillery systems in May 2024. Final negotiations were held with Swedish company BAE Systems Bofors and Czech company Excalibur Army.

Experts from the National Armed Forces and the Defence Ministry assessed the companies’ financial offers, delivery schedules, operational capabilities, commitments to involve local industry and other factors, including opportunities for strategic partnerships.

In June 2025, the Defence Ministry signed a letter of intent with Sweden covering a mutual commitment to conclude an intergovernmental agreement on acquiring Archer systems for the National Armed Forces. The ministry now stresses that the letter created no legal obligations under either international or national law, meaning Latvia will not have to pay a penalty.

The ministry said the Czech offer was better. According to its assessment, Excalibur Army is offering Morana systems with operational capabilities equivalent to Archer, but with better pricing and delivery terms.

Publicly available information indicates that Morana systems were first demonstrated in 2022 and are still undergoing active testing. Archer systems, meanwhile, have been produced for more than 10 years and supplied to the Swedish Army.

The Defence Ministry reassessed the offers from the Swedish and Czech companies, and Defence Minister Raivis Melnis presented the final offer to the government on Tuesday.

Defence Ministry State Secretary Airis Rikveilis confirmed to LETA that the government, after reviewing the ministry’s information, decided to order that further action to acquire Archer systems should not continue. The ministry based the decision on delivery times and costs.