Transfer of authority of the Spanish Contingent deployed in the NASAMS Anti Air Defence Unit

• This rotation has participated in the defence of the NATO Summit in Vilnius

The Contingent of the NASAMS Anti Air Defence Unit (UDAA in Spanish) deployed at Lielvārde Air Base has completed, after seven months of work, its mission in Latvia.

In the transfer of authority ceremony, the outgoing Commander, Commander Antonio Izquierdo Aroca congratulated the military personnel for their work and professionalism, and expressed his wishes for a great mission to the incoming contingent. The new Commander is Commander Francisco Rubio Pérez, who has expressed his gratitude for these words of support.

This is the second contingent deployed in the UDAA-Latvia, whose mission is to maintain deterrence against any type of aggression against Latvia. This capability that Spain made available to the Alliance in June 2022 contributes to an intermediate range for the protection of vital points and enables the integration into NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence.

The personnel of this rotation return home with the experience gained from joint exercises with the Latvian Armed Forces, which have strengthened cooperation ties and brought to light the relevance of working together for the benefit of the security of the Alliance’s East flank. Moreover, the unit’s participation in the defence of the NATO Summit in Vilnius has further consolidated the importance and crucial role that they play in the framework of the Alliance’s collective defence.

The UDAA is based on NASAMS missile launchers and entails the reinforcement of Operation eFP (Enhanced Forward Presence), which is part of Spain’s contribution to the Alliance in the defence of Latvia.