CMFMAG TeamThe road from Battle Group to Brigade in Latvia is well underway. Agreed upon at the 2022 Summit in Madrid and signed on July 11, 2023, at Camp Adazi in Latvia, the National Defence’s roadmap envisions the enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) Latvia Battle Group growing to a brigade by 2026.
Roadmap – Scaling the eFP Latvia Battle Group to Brigade
“Against the backdrop of Russia’s brutal and illegal war in Ukraine and in response to Russia’s continued aggressive and destabilizing actions, Allies agreed at the 2022 Summit in Madrid that a more robust, multi-domain, and scalable force posture was required to deter and defend through a greater military presence in Europe, particularly along NATO’s Eastern Flank,” read the statement.
The Roadmap outlines Canada’s three-phased approach in scaling the Canada-led eFP Battle Group to a combat-capable multinational enhanced Forward Presence Brigade. Also, the roadmap highlights Latvia’s investments in developing military capabilities to strengthen the defence of NATO’s Eastern Flank.
The three-phased Roadmap includes :
- Preparation Phase,
- Build Phase, and a
- Steady State Phase
Preparation Phase
The Preparation Phase commenced shortly after the NATO Leaders Summit in Madrid in June 2022. The statement noted that “much progress has already been made.”
“Canada has begun increasing its on-the-ground presence, with approximately 1,000 CAF personnel currently deployed as part of Operation REASSURANCE, towards a full brigade-size presence,” said Defence Department spokesperson Andrée-Anne Poulin.
She added, “Canada has already bolstered its presence in Latvia with the deployment of a Canadian Army Tank Squadron of 15 Leopard 2 tanks and personnel at the end of 2023.”
To develop the brigade, Canada formally affiliated its land-based NATO Response Forces to Latvia. To enable the affiliation, the Canadian Army realigned its Managed Readiness Plan to assign a single Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group to support deterrence and defence in Latvia, including through forward-deployed forces and Canada-based reinforcements.
To facilitate the new Brigade, Latvia adopted a law on June 22, 2023, to develop a new training area called Selonia. Located in the Aizkraukle and Jēkabpils regions, the training area is 25,000 hectares.
During the Preparation Phase, Latvia allocated financing to procure medium-range air defence systems, rocket artillery systems, and coastal defence systems. The country also introduced conscription to increase the Latvian National Armed Forces (LNAF) fighting force.
Build Phase
The Build Phase will see the Battle Group build and transition to a Bridage, with equipment arriving, exercises taking place, reporting shifting to NATO’s Headquarters Multinational Division North, and Latvian conscription systems stabilized. The aim is to have the Build phase completed by 2025.
- Canada and Allies will flow the bulk of the Brigade’s forces and equipment into Latvia. The Brigade build-up and infrastructure development will need to be aligned as the transition to the Build Phase occurs.
- The eFP Brigade will begin reporting to NATO’s Headquarters Multinational Division North (HQ MND-N). Established on March 8, 2019, to demonstrate NATO’s will and ability to deter or defend the Baltic Sea Region against Russian aggression, MND N was declared Full Operational Capability on July 7, 2023.
- As one of the framework nations of the Headquarters Multinational Division North, Latvia will develop a plan for further developing the Multinational Division—North.
- The Battle Group will transition from the Latvian Mechanized Infantry Brigade to the Canada-led eFP Brigade.
“Brigade build-up aims to be completed in 2025 with a significant increase in Canadian and multinational Armed Forces soldiers persistently deployed on the ground in Latvia, with additional troops assigned to reinforce Latvia at high readiness from their home country,” said Poulin.
By Fall 2024, the eFP Brigade will conduct its first Brigade exercise and NATO Combat Readiness Evaluation. By the Fall of 2025, Latvia will finalize the first phase of Selonia, which will include a life support area and shooting ranges, providing opportunities for military training and exercises in the area.
Steady State Phase
The goal of the Steady State Phase is to maintain readiness and demonstrate the eFP Bridage’s capacity to deter and, if necessary, defend against aggression.
This Phase will see the Canadian-led multinational eFP Brigade in Latvia consist of a mix of a significant proportion of forward-deployed forces, with stocks and equipment prepositioned for the use of rapidly deployable surge forces readied on standby in Canada and across Allied contributing nations.
- The eFP Brigade will deploy and exercise episodically to maintain readiness and demonstrate the Brigade’s capability.
- Boost capabilities, rocket artillery systems will enter service in the Latvian National Armed Forces.
- Latvia will gradually increase the capacity of the military training area “Selonia” to accommodate Brigade-level exercises.
- As one of the Multinational Division – North Headquarters Framework Nations, Latvia will lead the development of Multinational Division – North as a fully resourced and enabled warfighting division.
“By 2026, Canada will complete the full implementation of a persistently deployed Brigade capability to Latvia,” said Poulin, adding, “Canada will have up to 2,200 persistently deployed Canadian Armed Forces members as part of the enhanced Forward Presence and supporting elements in Latvia, and will be prepared to deploy (surge) hundreds more as needed.”
Scaling the EFP Latvia Battle Group to Brigade
Drafted in three copies, English, French, and Latvian, the document was signed on behalf of the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Latvia by Ināra Mūrniece, Minister of Defence, and the Department of National Defence of Canada by Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence, Canada.
“This Roadmap forms the foundation of a sustainable plan to realize the commitments made at the Madrid Summit in June 2022 and the Joint Declaration signed by Canada and Latvia. This Roadmap further demonstrates Canada’s and Latvia’s commitment to deterrence and defence, to the security of the Euro-Atlantic area, and to the NATO Alliance and its Allies,” noted the statement.
Read the National Defence’s Roadmap – Scaling the EFP Latvia Battle Group to Brigade statement here.
