National Armed Forces of LatviaGovernment

The National Armed Forces of Latvia (Latvijas Nacionālie bruņotie spēki) is the unified military organization responsible for defending the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and airspace of the Republic of Latvia. Composed of regular professional forces, the National Guard (Zemessardze), and reserve components, its mandate includes national defense, international peacekeeping and crisis management, and joint NATO collective defense operations. The armed forces were originally founded in July 1919 during the Latvian War of Independence and were subsequently re-established in 1991 following the restoration of the country's independence from the Soviet Union.