Institutional steps already takenMasulis said the Latvian Air Force had received a tasking from the National Armed Forces Joint Staff to identify the most effective solutions, and that manufacturers had already been approached. The envelope covers air defense procurement as a whole and has not been earmarked for aircraft. Regional exposureGerbera drone debris found in Ventspils Latvia in September 2025 (Credit: Latvian National Armed Forces)Latvia has repeatedly faced drone incursions linked to the war in Ukraine. The response cost Latvian defense minister Andris Sprūds his post and triggered a coalition crisis in Riga. Lithuanian intelligence warned in August 2026 that Russia was considering a false-flag attack on Baltic critical infrastructure using Ukrainian-made drones.