United Kingdom will deliver 123 of surplus CVRT Ligh Reconnaissance Armoured Vehicles to Latvia 0609

The purchase of the 123 British combat vehicles will cost an estimated 70 million euros. Part of the sum has already been allocated. 1.79 million euros have already been allocated to the mechanization project, and it is planned to assign 12.27 million euros in 2015 and 16.29 million euros in 2016.

The vehicles are expected to enable the Latvian Army to better transport infantry, reconnaissance teams, air defence sections and mortar fire controllers and also provide vital battlefield capabilities, including ambulances, armoured command vehicles and armoured recovery vehicles.

In February 2014, Latvian Defense Minister Raimonds Vejonis and British Secretary of State for Defense Philip Hammond have signed a Letter of Intent regarding the cooperation on the mechanization project of the Latvian Land Force Infantry brigade.

Last month, The Baltic Times cited the Latvian MoD as saying that the UK will supply trucks, equipment tools and spare parts in 2016, and the vehicles will be equipped with additional weapons systems and communication devices.

In the late 1950s, the British Army issued a requirement for an Armoured Vehicle, Reconnaissance (AVR) to undertake the roles of reconnaissance, fire support and anti-tank. Designed by Alvis, the CVR(T) is a family of mobile, air-transportable tracked armoured fighting vehicles (AFV) including Scorpion, Spartan, Sultan, Samson,Samaritan and Scimitar.

The first production Scorpions were delivered to the British Army in January 1972. The first prototype of the Scimitar was completed in July 1971 and accepted for service in June 1973. First deliveries were made to the British Army in March 1974.