U.S. to start deploying heavy weaponry in Latvia in autumn

The United States will begin the deployment of its heavy weaponry in Latvia this autumn, the Latvian Chief of Defense Lt Gen Raimonds Graube said on public television Friday.

The U.S. weapons will be stationed at a military base in Adazi, a municipality just outside Riga, according to information provided earlier by the Latvian Defense Ministry.

Lt Gen Graube, who recently returned from a visit to the United States, also indicated Latvia would purchase Stinger air-defense systems from the United States, tentatively starting in 2016.

The Stingers would also be stationed at the Adazi base, the Latvian chief of defense said without specifying the costs of these purchases.

While visiting Latvia's neighbor country Estonia in June, U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter announced that the United States would send 250 units of heavy weaponry, including tanks, Bradley armored fighting vehicles and self-propelled howitzers to allied countries in the Baltics and Eastern Europe to tackle terror threats and deter possible foreign aggression. Endit