The National Armed Forces Today

• The main purpose of the National Armed Forces is to defend the sovereignty of the Latvian state, its territorial integrity and residents from aggression;
• The NAF consists of Land Forces, Naval Forces, Air Forces, as well as National Guard, Logistics Command, Training and Doctrine Command and separate teams - Security Service of the Parliament and State President, Military Police, Sports Club;
• Besides the NAF actively involves in non-military operations - Naval Forces coordinate and participate in search and rescue operations at sea, take part in  elimination of consequences of emergencies occurring at sea and pollution with oil products, as well as participate in  ecological surveillance; Air Forces participate in accident, firefighting and rescue operations and elimination of consequences of emergencies, as well as search and rescue operations, in co-operation with Centre of Emergency and Disaster Medicine provide medical transportation of seriously injured civilians to hospitals;
• In 2006 there are over 4800 soldiers of professional military service and 10600 National Guardsmen, as well as over 1000 civil and military employees serving in the National Armed Forces (NAF). At the present over 500 soldiers from the last call serve in the mandatory military service. Until 2008 the number of professional military service soldiers will not exceed 6000.
• Latvia will be the first state in the Baltic sea region where the national armed forces will be composed of professional military service soldiers only.
• In 2006 around 20% of those serving in the NAF are women;
• Latvians, Russians, Poles, Lithuanians, Ukrainians, Byelorussians and representatives from other nationalities serve in the NAF.