Latvia’s infantry fighting vehicles to become drone hunters

Latvia’s Hunter infantry fighting vehicles are being adapted to do more than carry troops and provide firepower. A demonstration at the Ādaži military base showed how the platform could become an active part of an air-defense system designed to counter drones.

GDELS Santa Bárbara Sistemas presented the Drone Hunter concept as drones continue to change the modern battlefield. The system integrates detection technology, situational awareness, electronic countermeasures and interception capabilities into a single combat architecture.

Latvia’s armed forces are expected to receive 84 Hunter vehicles. The concept rests partly on the platform’s open and modular architecture, which allows new technologies and capabilities to be added without major structural changes or lengthy development programs.

The demonstration also involved Estonia’s Marduk Technologies. Its Piraya passive electro-optical system contributed to the sensor layer, providing detection, classification and targeting capabilities within the broader counter-drone architecture.

The project reflects cooperation among Latvia’s Defence Ministry, national industry and international partners. It also points to a broader shift in how next-generation fighting vehicles are assessed, with the ability to integrate new capabilities quickly becoming an important consideration alongside mobility, protection and firepower.