On April 30, Latvia made public its decision to send a fresh set of military aid to Ukraine, including reconnaissance drones and short-range surface-to-air weapons.
Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina shared this update on Twitter, stating, “The government has just approved the transfer of the NBS air defense systems, tactical unmanned surveillance systems and other essential technical equipment to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This will help improve both Ukraine’s air defense and reconnaissance capabilities.”
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Evika Silina highlighted Latvia’s ongoing commitment, dedicating approximately 0.25% of its GDP annually to supporting Ukraine.
The MANTIS system, previously called NBS C-RAM (counter-rocket, artillery and mortar), is a short-range air defense system specifically created to safeguard the forward-operating bases of the German Army in Afghanistan. Developed by Rheinmetall Air Defense, this 35 mm fully automated air defense system is tailored for the German Bundeswehr. Its primary function is to detect, track and engage incoming projectiles within close proximity to the target base.

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