The Latvian National Guard or NG (, ZS) is a part of the Latvian National Armed Forces. The National Guard is a basic land component, consisting of volunteers who perform traditional national guard duties such as crisis response and support for military operations. It consists of the Staff Headquarters and 4 brigades (formally - regions or novadi), which are divided into 18 battalions. The National Guard continued its development also after Latvia joined NATO.
The National Guard was established on August 23, 1991 by the Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia as a voluntary public military self-defense organization. Its roots can be traced to the pre-World War II Aizsargi organization. It is the largest NBS structure in terms of numbers. The National Guard has always played an essential role in the national defense system by allowing the public to be involved in national defense. A number of National Guard battalions have been transformed into high-readiness reserve forces, which can be deployed immediately on international military operations.
The youth organization of the National Guard, the (, JS), was established in 1992. It is the largest youth movement in Latvia, bringing together young people from the age of 10 to 21.
An aviation component of the National Guard was introduced in 1993, with a fleet of ex-Soviet DOSAAF light aircraft and gliders. In 2000 the aviation component, the roundel of which was a red-white auseklis, became part of the Air Force.
In the 1990s, the National Guard troops (much like the regular armed forces) were equipped with leftover Soviet weapons like the AKM, AK-74, SKS rifles and TT and Makarov pistols, alongside early procurements of CZ 82 pistols from the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In the late 1990s, a gradual switch to the Swedish-made Automatkarbin 4 began. It, in turn, was phased out by the H&K G36 starting from the late-2010s. A number of Carl Gustaf m/45 submachine guns, donated by Sweden, were also used by the Guard until a phaseout the 2020s.
The main task of the National Guard is to support the regular Land Force units by defending the national territory during military threat and to perform NBS combat support and combat logistics functions. At the same time, the National Guard continues providing assistance to the public regarding crisis control, as well as to the Latvian State Police regarding provision of public law and order, and continue the safeguarding of sites of national security importance.
(as of April 20, 2021:)
National Guard (NG) Headquarters (Rëga)
National Guard 1st Brigade (Rëga HQ):
National Guard 2nd Assault Brigade (Valmiera HQ):
National Guard 3rd Brigade (RÃÂzekne HQ):
National Guard 4th Brigade (LiepÃÂja HQ):
The National Guard has established close co-operation with similar organizations abroad â the US Michigan Army National Guard, the Australian Army Reserve, the UK Territorial Army, and the Home Guard organizations of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Lithuania and Estonia.