The US State Department has approved the sale of the Naval Strike Missile Coastal Defense System (NSM CDS) and related equipment to Latvia.
The estimated $110 million proposed sale includes “tactical, telemetered, and training missiles, containers, mobile operational platforms, integration equipment, ordnance handling equipment, training equipment and aids,” the Defense Security Cooperation Agency stated.
The system will enhance Latvia’s coastal defense capability and interoperability with US and NATO armed forces, helping it meet current and future threats in the maritime domain, the Pentagon agency added.
Naval Coastal Defense System
The NSM CDS is a ground-based coastal defense system capable of multiple simultaneous over-the-horizon engagements.
The Kongsberg-Raytheon system comprises a fire control center, Naval Strike Missile (NSM) launcher, and radar. The NSM has a range of 100 nautical miles (185 kilometers/115 miles).
Poland, the US, and Romania also use the NSM CDS for coastal defense, while Norway, Malaysia, Germany, the US, Canada, Australia, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands have chosen the NSM for ship-based operations.
Increased Defense Spending
The approval comes after Riga struck a $494 million deal with Washington in December to purchase eight High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems starting in 2025.
The three Baltic nations have pledged to increase their defense spending to three percent of gross domestic product (GDP) following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania currently spend an estimated 2.34, 2.10, and 2.36 percent, respectively, of GDP on defense.