Latvia has chosen Excalibur Army’s Morana 155mm self-propelled howitzer instead of BAE Systems Bofors’ Archer system, with the government pointing to more favorable pricing and shorter delivery schedules. Latvia began examining wheeled 155mm artillery options in May 2024 and later entered negotiations with both manufacturers after reviewing their proposals. The country had signed a letter of intent in June 2025 for 18 Archer systems, and the procurement received government approval in January 2026. A later review, however, determined that the Archer proposal was less advantageous, leading Riga to switch to Morana. Latvia also considered Excalibur Army’s plan to involve the country’s domestic defense industry in the programme. The acquisition is intended to strengthen Latvian artillery formations while improving indirect-fire capability, deterrence, and overall national defense capacity. The Morana is based on a TATRA 8×8 chassis fitted with an independently mounted armored artillery turret. Its automatic loading mechanism can accommodate 45 rounds and deliver as many as six rounds during the first minute, while supporting Multiple Round Simultaneous Impact operations. A three-member crew operates from a pressurized cabin offering NBC protection and certified to STANAG 4569 Level 2. GPS/INS navigation and automated gun-laying equipment allow the system to prepare and conduct firing missions rapidly. Morana has a maximum firing range of 41.5 kilometers (26 miles) and a road speed of 90 kilometers (56 miles) per hour. It can also engage targets with direct fire out to 5 kilometers (3 miles) during daylight and 3 kilometers (2 miles) at night. An integrated secondary weapon provides additional protection against close-range threats and low-flying UAVs.
