Latvia drops Archer plan in favour of cheaper Czech Morana artillery

Latvia has decided to procure Czech-made 155 mm Morana self-propelled artillery systems from Excalibur Army, replacing an earlier plan to acquire Swedish Archer systems.

The government had previously backed the purchase of 18 Archer howitzers, but the Defence Ministry now says the Swedish option would require more financial resources and involve longer delivery times than current defence plans allow.

After further negotiations, Excalibur Army offered what the ministry describes as an operationally comparable system with more favourable pricing and delivery conditions. The procurement will also include participation by Latvian industry.

The change reflects a broader pressure facing Baltic defence procurement: rapidly expanding military requirements still have to be balanced against cost, delivery speed and the ability to involve domestic industry.

Source: Latvian Ministry of Defence, 17 September 2026.