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RIGA, Latvia - NATO Force Integration Unit (NFIU) Latvia completed its recertification the week of May 13 - 17, 2019 proving its capability to ensure rapid reception of incoming Allied troops.

The recertification of NFIU Latvia was completed by the Joint Headquarters of the Latvian National Armed Forces and Multinational Corps Northeast (MNC NE). The evaluation happened in three phases in April and May in various locations across Latvia with focus on personnel, intelligence, operations, planning, logistics and communications.

"The Commander of NFIU Latvia and his staff have presented the evaluated body remarkably well prepared during the execution of all the evaluation phases,” said Lieutenant Colonel Rene Mletzko of MNC NE. 

As part of NATO’s adaptation to security challenges from the east and the south, the Alliance opened eight Force Integration Units in Sofia (Bulgaria), Tallinn (Estonia), Riga (Latvia), Vilnius (Lithuania), Bydgoszcz (Poland) and Bucharest (Romania), Bratislava (Slovakia), and Székesfehérvár (Hungary).

These small units represent a visible and persistent NATO presence in these member countries.  The primary mission of NFIUs is to foster collaboration between national forces and the NATO High Readiness Forces in times of military-political crises. Specifically, these small units provide broad planning support to facilitate the rapid deployment of Allied forces to the Eastern part of the Alliance and support collective defence planning. They also work with host nations to identify logistical networks, transportation routes and supporting infrastructure.

NFIU Latvia was established on September 1, 2015.