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Latvia - P-05 Skrunda patrol vessel

On December 21, 2007, the Ministry of Defense, based on the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers, entered into an agreement with the joint stock company “Rigas kugu buvetava” on the construction and acquisition of five coast guard patrol vessels. With the signing of the agreement, a project for the construction of coastguard patrol vessels for the needs of the Navy flotilla is being implemented.

The construction of these ships ensured the modernization of the fleet and the efficiency of its capabilities. The Latvian army must protect the 500-kilometer-long coastline, which is required by both national security and NATO standards. The fleet currently had nine vessels at its disposal, which are in an unsatisfactory technical condition; they were built in the sixties of the last century.

The Coast Guard patrol vessel construction project envisages that the nine old vessels were replaced by five new ones, which increased the efficiency of the use of financial and personnel resources of the armed forces, and the new vessels were used not only for military but also for civilian purposes. Captain Rimants Štrimaitis, the commander of the fleet, emphasizes the importance of patrol vessels in performing both military tasks and promoting civil security. The new vessels not only patrol and rescue, but are also able to be equipped with oil collection and mine search and destruction equipment. The ships are serviced by forty sailors.

Since the signing of the contract at the end of 2007, many design, construction documentation, material and equipment specification development and other preparatory works, specific calculations and drawings, such as hull structure calculations, engine room and electrical system plans, layouts and others have been performed. The flotilla was also involved in the documentation process, both by submitting technical data and descriptions of the equipment and plant to be installed and by discussing design or technical details.

At the end of September 2009, the metal works of the first patrol vessel were cut and the construction of the first patrol vessel Skrunda was started. This vessel was received by the fleet on April 12, 2011. On April 18, 2012, a large solemn ceremony was held in Riga in honor of the receipt of the first patrol vessel. The construction of the second patrol vessel "Cesis" was started at the end of May 2010, and this vessel was received on March 16, 2012. A solemn ceremony in honor of receiving the ship took place on April 2, 2012 in Liepaja. On June 17, 2010, with a solemn ceremony in the joint stock company "Rigas Kugu buvetava", the construction of the third coast guard patrol ship "Viesite" was opened. On April 11, 2012, a solemn launching and naming ceremony of the patrol vessel took place, but the vessel itself was received on August 17, 2012. The construction of the fourth patrol vessel "Jelgava" was started at the end of 2011, and the vessel was received on July 9, 2013.

The construction of the fifth patrol vessel “Rezekne” was started in the summer of 2012 and on February 10, 2014 AM and JSC “Rigas kugu buvetava” signed a protocol of handover-acceptance of the patrol vessel, thus accepting the last of the five newly built SKRUNDA class patrol vessels. On March 20, 2014, the solemn flag-raising ceremony of the patrol ship P-09 "Rezekne" took place in Liepaja. Along with the delivery of the last - the fifth - patrol vessel, AM received all patrol vessels provided for in the agreement between AM and JSC “Rigas kugu buvetava”. In general, the project was carried out in accordance with the contract, its terms and the shipbuilding schedule.

All five patrol vessels are "SWATH" type vessels with two torpedo-type hulls and a small water-washed surface. The main efficiency or strength of such a ship is its seaworthiness. Latvian patrol vessels are 25 meters long and 13.5 meters wide. In our climatic conditions, winds and wave heights are not predictable to prevent them from going to sea and performing tasks. The patrol vessel is 100% operational in waves up to 3.5 meters high. The special hull and small washed surface allow the ship to maintain a horizontal position as much as possible. Ship draft - 2.7 meters, speed - 20 knots, engine power - 1600 horsepower, material - aluminum.

Ship construction and purchase takes place from the budget of the Ministry of Defense. The total shipbuilding costs are 55.8 million EUR. The names of the patrol vessels were chosen according to the most important venues of the freedom struggles in the historical regions of Latvia: Kurzeme, Zemgale, Augškurzeme (Selija), Vidzeme and Latgale. With the help of the specialists of the Latvian War Museum, identifying the most important Latvian army battlefields in these regions, it was decided to give the patrol ships the names "Skrunda", "Cesis", "Viesite", "Jelgava" and "Rezekne", following the chronological order during the War of Independence.

Legend of the patrol ship "Skrunda" - The Battle of Skrunda took place on January 29, 1919. The 1st Latvian Separate Battalion, commanded by Colonel Oskars Kalpaks, together with several other Landesver ornaments, attacked Skrunda, in the vicinity of which the 2nd Soviet Latvian Rifle Regiment was stationed. The victory gained by the Kalpakis was the first success of the national army units in the liberation struggles and marked a turning point in the liberation of the territory of Latvia from the Bolshevik army. In honor of today's events, the Flag Festival is celebrated in Skrunda on January 29 every year.

The legend of the patrol ship "Cesis" - The Battle of Cesis, which was the largest battle in the history of the three Baltic Wars of Independence (1918-1920), took place from 6 to 23 June 1919 between the Latvian Provisional Government's Northern Latvian Brigade and the Estonian Army on the one hand and the German Landeswehr German parts and the German Iron Division on the other. In them, the combined Estonian-Latvian forces completely defeated the hostile German forces of Latvia, the caretaker government led by Karlis Ulmanis regained control of most of the country's territory, and preconditions were created for the creation of a united Latvian army. In honor of the events of these days, the Heroes' Memorial Day is celebrated every year on June 22.

The legend of the patrol ship "Viesite" - The Battle of Viesite took place on October 14, 1919, between the Bermontians on the one hand and the units of the 3rd Jelgava Infantry Regiment of the Latvian Army and the Viesite Guard Division on the other. The victory stopped the movement of Bermont units in Augškurzeme and Latgale.

Legend of the patrol ship "Jelgava" - The operation to liberate Jelgava from the troops of Pavel Bermont-Avalov took place on November 21, 1919. After the Bermontiad battles near Riga (October 8 - November 11, 1919), the operation to liberate Jelgava was the next significant victory of the Latvian army in the battle against Bermont troops, which allowed Zemgale to be liberated from Latvian opponents and significantly accelerated the expulsion of Bermontians from Latvian territory.

The legend of the patrol ship "Rezekne" - The operation to liberate Rezekne from the Bolshevik army took place on January 21, 1920. It was the largest combat operation in Latgale, which the national troops carried out on their own, refusing the help of the allied Polish troops. The outcome of the battle of Rezekne decided the course of the Latgale liberation operation - the Bolshevik troops were forced to leave the territory of Latvia completely.