Parade of Latvian National Armed Forces, Allied Units and National Defence and Security Services to Mark the 108th Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic of Latvia
On 18 November at 13:30, a military parade featuring the Latvian National Armed Forces, Allied units and national defence and security services will take place on 11 November Embankment in Riga to mark the 108th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Latvia.
The parade will be commanded by the Commander of the Latvian Navy, Captain (Navy) Gvido Ļaudups, and reviewed by the Commander-in-Chief of the National Armed Forces, President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs, Minister of Defence Raivis Melnis and Chief of Defence, Lieutenant General Kaspars Pudāns.
The National Armed Forces will be represented by the Latvian Navy, Air Force, National Defence Academy of Latvia, Joint Headquarters’ Battalion, Logistics Command, National Guard 1st Brigade Riga, National Guard 2nd Brigade Vidzeme, National Guard 3rd Brigade Latgale, National Guard 4th Brigade Kurzeme, and the Land Forces Mechanized Infantry Brigade. Soldiers serving in the State Defence Service will march alongside their respective units, symbolising the new generation contributing to Latvia's defence.
Following the Latvian Army's national colour guard, flag parties representing Allied nations will march in the parade, carrying the flags of Albania, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, Montenegro, North Macedonia, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Ukraine and the United States of America, demonstrating Allied unity and support for Latvia.
The NATO Force Integration Unit Latvia and the Baltic Defence College will also participate in the parade. Flag parties from the Training and Doctrine Command, NCO School, Infantry School, Combat Support and Service Support Training Centre, Signal School and Latvian Navy Training Center will also be represented.
The parade will also feature units from the State Border Guard, State Police College, Tax and Customs Police, State Fire and Rescue Service, Prison Administration and Emergency Medical Service.
Symbolising the patriotism of Latvia's youth and the continuation of the country's military traditions, a unit from Colonel Oskars Kalpaks Vocational Secondary School will participate in the parade, while a unit from General Pēteris Radziņš Vocational Secondary School will march in the parade for the first time. The Youth Guard Centre will also be represented by a flag party and units from all regions of Latvia.
Allied armed forces will be represented by the Canadian-led NATO Multinational Brigade Latvia, which forms part of NATO Multinational Division North.
Musical accompaniment will be provided by the Latvian Navy Band, the National Guard Band performing together with the United States Air Force Band, and the National Armed Forces Headquarters Band.
The marching contingent will conclude with 50 Bersaglieri from the Italian Armed Forces, renowned for their military traditions and distinctive fast marching pace.
Accompanied by military bands, the marching units will continue along Kaļķu Street, Brīvības Street and Bruņinieku Street towards Skanstes Street.
Weather permitting, the parade will also feature a flypast by Latvian and Allied air forces. Aircraft flying over 11 November Embankment will include UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters of the Latvian Air Force, Agusta AW109 and AW119 helicopters of the State Border Guard, UH-60 helicopters of the United States Armed Forces and CH-146 Griffon helicopters of the Canadian Armed Forces.
The flypast will feature Latvian and Allied military aircraft, as well as an Airbus A220-300 aircraft operated by Latvia's national airline, airBaltic, in its special Latvian flag livery, symbolising national independence and pride. The aerial display will conclude with fighter aircraft assigned to NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission, including two Belgian Air Force fighter jets, demonstrating the Allied presence in the region and their readiness to defend Baltic airspace.
The parade will feature an extensive display of Latvian and Allied military equipment, showcasing Latvia's defence capabilities, ongoing modernisation and Allied presence in the country. Leading the military vehicle column will be a Danish Piranha armoured personnel carrier carrying the Commander of NATO Multinational Division North, Major General Ulrich Essmann-Beck.
This will be followed by a column of military vehicles from the Canadian-led NATO Multinational Brigade Latvia, demonstrating the Allied presence and collective defence capabilities. The column will include Canadian LAV 6 infantry fighting vehicles, Slovenian Iveco tactical vehicles, an Albanian Lince armoured tactical vehicle and a Slovak Aligator armoured vehicle. It will also feature Italian Centauro wheeled armoured vehicles and an Ariete tank, Spanish Leopard tanks and a Pizarro infantry fighting vehicle, Polish Leopard tanks, as well as a Danish CV90 infantry fighting vehicle and a Leopard 2A7 tank.
Spectators will also have the opportunity to see Hunter (Mednieks) infantry fighting vehicles of the Land Forces Mechanized Infantry Brigade, developed on the ASCOD tracked platform. These infantry fighting vehicles have been significantly upgraded to meet the requirements of modern mechanised infantry operations, providing substantial firepower, modular protection and interoperability with equipment operated by the Latvian National Armed Forces and NATO Allies.
The parade will also feature Scimitar (Zobens) and Spartan (Pērkons) tracked armoured vehicles, Patria 6×6 armoured personnel carriers and M109 self-propelled howitzers, which provide accurate fire support during combat operations.
For the first time, the parade will also feature the 155 mm Morana wheeled artillery system. In September this year, the Latvian Ministry of Defence, the Government of Slovakia and the Czech defence industry company TATRA DEFENCE SYSTEMS signed a trilateral agreement for the procurement of these systems. They will soon be introduced into the National Armed Forces' indirect fire support (artillery) units, significantly strengthening Latvia's deterrence and defence capabilities.
Various transport and combat support vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles and long-range anti-tank weapon systems that enhance Latvia's defence capabilities will also be displayed.
The State Border Guard will demonstrate Toyota Hilux off-road vehicles carrying Lynx Ranger 600ACE snowmobiles, Renault Trafic operational vehicles, and Polaris Ranger XP 1000 and Polaris MV850 all-terrain vehicles, which provide mobility in border areas.
The State Police will participate with BMW R1250 motorcycles and Škoda Superb operational vehicles equipped with 360-degree cameras, automatic number plate recognition systems and speed enforcement devices. Volkswagen Transporter and Crafter vehicles, an unmarked Ford Ranger and an Iveco Guardian water cannon vehicle will also be displayed.
The Riga Municipal Police will participate with its operational vehicles and specialised equipment, including CFMoto CForce 1000 all-terrain vehicles, Škoda Kodiaq and Toyota RAV4 operational vehicles, and Toyota Hilux pickup trucks. The parade column will also feature water rescue equipment, including SEA-DOO Fish Pro 170 and Grand G580 rescue boats used for patrols and rescue operations on the city's waterways.
The Tax and Customs Police will participate with Citroën SpaceTourer operational vehicles, while the Prison Administration will be represented by Renault Master operational vehicles.
The State Fire and Rescue Service will participate with Toyota Hilux high-mobility operational vehicles, Scania fire engines, Renault 6×6 chemical incident response and rescue vehicles, and rescue boats.
The Emergency Medical Service will participate with Volkswagen Transporter and Volkswagen Crafter ambulances, which are used daily to provide emergency response services throughout Latvia.
Accompanied by military bands, the marching units will continue along Kaļķu Street, Brīvības Street and Bruņinieku Street towards Skanstes Street.
A 21-gun salute honouring the anniversary of Latvia's proclamation of independence will be fired from AB Dambis by the National Guard's 17th Combat Support Battalion.
On 18 November, from 11:00 to 16:00, visitors will have the opportunity to explore an exhibition of military vehicles and equipment at Riga Passenger Port. Five Latvian Navy vessels and the Lithuanian Navy vessel Skalvis will be open for viewing at the port's berths.
The Latvian Navy will also demonstrate specialised equipment, including underwater remotely operated vehicles used for mine detection and disposal, diving gear and equipment, and training mine replicas that resemble real naval mines in appearance and construction.
Military vehicles and equipment from other units of the National Armed Forces and national defence and security services will also be on display at the exhibition.
The military parade marking the 108th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Latvia, featuring the National Armed Forces, Allied units and national defence and security services, will be broadcast live by Latvian Television and Latvian Radio.
A full dress rehearsal of the parade will take place on 17 November at 18:00 on 11 November Embankment.
The National Armed Forces remind the public that military aircraft operating in Latvian airspace fly only at altitudes and speeds permitted by applicable regulations. Noise generated during these flights is temporary and does not cause harm to people or property.
Photography and filming will take place during the events.
The National Armed Forces encourage residents to capture the national celebration events and share their photographs and videos on social media using the hashtags #18novembris, #Latvijai108 and #militārāparāde, and tagging the accounts @Latvijas_armija and @esmukaravirs.
Information for Media Representatives
Media representatives are invited to cover the parade on 18 November at 13:30. Those wishing to attend are requested to submit the first names, surnames and personal identity numbers of their representatives to **prese@mil.lv** by 15:00 on 16 November.
On 18 November, media representatives must arrive at the Media Centre of Riga Castle (the Presidential Palace) by 12:45 for accreditation. They must bring a valid identity document — a passport or national identity card.
Personal data will be processed solely for the purposes of this event and will be deleted following the conclusion of the parade on 18 November.
Information prepared by:
Communications Division
Information Analysis and Management Department
National Armed Forces Joint Headquarters
Email: prese@mil.lv