On Wednesday, September 30, the Latvian Ministry of Defence, the government of Slovakia and the Czech defence industry company Tatra Defence Systems signed a trilateral agreement for the supply of 155 mm “Morana” artillery systems to the Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS).
In addition to the delivery of the Morana systems, the contract also provides for the delivery of missile artillery systems.
“The use of a unified Tatra vehicle platform will provide the National Armed Forces with significant advantages in the areas of logistics, maintenance, training and long-term life cycle support,” said a Defence Ministry release.
“The agreement provides for extensive cooperation between the defense sectors of Latvia, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, and it is planned to use the European Union instrument “Security Action for Europe” (SAFE) for its financing.
“An important condition for cooperation is the gradual localization of production in Latvia. It is planned that some of the equipment will be manufactured and assembled in Latvia, and this will be supported by Czech and Slovak companies,” said the Defence Ministry.
“The acquisition of new artillery and support systems marks a significant step in the development of the capabilities of the Latvian Armed Forces. The involvement of local industry in the implementation of this project is also very important to us. Our goal is not only to acquire modern military equipment, but also to develop local production, service and technological capabilities, which will contribute to the long-term resilience and security of Latvia,” said Minister of Defence Raivis Melnis.
“This project demonstrates that cooperation between European countries and their defence industries can provide our armed forces with modern capabilities, while strengthening the European defence industrial base. The Slovak defense industry will play a significant role in this project, providing technologically essential components for the systems. I am pleased that the established framework can facilitate broader cooperation with our partners and contribute to strengthening European defense capabilities,” says Robert Kaliňák, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of Slovakia.
As previously reported, on September 15th, the Cabinet of Ministers decided to purchase the Morana system even though the Defence Ministry had previously signed an agreement to buy the rival Archer system made in Sweden.
The U-turn reportedly raised eyebrows in Stockholm, particularly as in June 2025, Latvia went so far as to sign “a mutual commitment to conclude an intergovernmental agreement in the future” with Sweden for the purchase of 18 Archer systems.
There will now be three parties involved in the supply of an unspecified number of Morana systems at an unspecified cost, and part of the rationale for the government’s change of heart is that they will in theory be delivered more quickly than the Swedish alternative. Whether that is what happens remains to be seen.
In contrast to established systems such as NBS M109, Caesar and Archer, Morana is a completely new system. The first prototype was shown to the public only in 2022, and this summer, the manufacturer was still undertaking combat firing tests. Therefore, Latvia’s choice also means a relatively early involvement in the life cycle of a new artillery platform. If the new platform does not have teething troubles or production delays, it could prove to be a smart choice. But if Morana does encounter some problems there may be some wry smiles in Sweden.
The first systems are scheduled to be received some time in 2027 according to the Ministry.