Spike Users’ Club share knowledge and experience in Latvia

Source: NATO Support nad Procurement Agency (NSPA)

Earlier this month, the SPIKE Users' Club held its annual meeting in Latvia. The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, and Spike Missile Family's global users came together for a collaborative, face-to-face engagement to strengthen their wider relations and cooperation.

For sixteen consecutive years, the meeting had been held in different host countries around the world. This year, after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was jointly organized by host user-nation Latvia and the NSPA, welcoming participants from dozens of Spike User delegations, and observer nations that participated for internal study purposes.

During the event, several firing demonstrations took place. The Latvian Army launched four Spike missiles. Two Spike LR2 missiles were launched from a portable ground launcher, with one of them launched towards a target beyond-line-of-sight at 5.2 km using the target image acquisition capability. Both missiles hit their intended targets Additionally, two Spike SR shoulder launched fire-and-forget missiles were launched at target at a distance of 1.5km.

The Latvian Army fired four SPIKE missiles as part of the event's demonstrations
The Latvian Army fired four SPIKE missiles as part of the event’s demonstrations. Photo: NSPA.

Founded in June 2003 by Spike user nations, the Spike Users’ Club Meeting has become a unique forum for sharing their practical knowledge and experience using Spike missiles, as well as addressing tactical lessons learned from combat scenarios, through maintenance and live-fire trainings.

Developed and produced by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the Spike precision electro-optical missiles are used by 39 nations, including 19 EU and NATO members.

So far, more than 7,000 Spike missiles have been fired in training and in combat scenarios around the world. Thanks to missile and launcher cross-nation commonality, the Users’ conference continues to be an excellent platform for maintaining the nations’ interoperability. The Users’ Club enables nations to manage joint procurement and mutual support in supply, including during long-lasting conflicts.

 

Article reprinted from NSPA’s website.

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