SAPRA - the International Association of Defence Product Manufacturers - organised a defence technology demonstration at the Sēlija Military Training Area on 16 October 2026. The event introduced industry representatives, members of the diplomatic corps and public-sector officials to solutions developed by Latvian and Israeli companies. The programme focused on drone detection, counter-drone systems and unmanned ground platforms, with particular attention to DUMBO, the acoustic radar developed by Israeli company Insignito.
Edgars Zandmanis, Chairman of the Board of SAPRA, introduced the association’s partners and SAPRA Technology, the company that will provide technology transfer and technical servicing. Alongside the technologies themselves, the presentation highlighted the support needed to bring these solutions into practical use and maintain them throughout their operation.
The demonstration programme covered several areas of defence technology, giving participants an opportunity to examine the systems firsthand and explore their practical applications.
Uģis Svirido, CEO of LV-TEH, introduced the company and presented the HADES GEKON unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), together with a weapon turret intended for the platform. LV-TEH also supplied the drones used by Insignito to demonstrate its drone detection technology.
Insignito presented DUMBO’s acoustic detection capabilities. According to the manufacturer, the system uses passive acoustic sensing to analyse the sounds generated by drones without transmitting active signals. This approach complements other drone detection technologies, providing an additional source of information for counter-drone defence.
Drone launches from the HADES GEKON UGV were also planned as part of the demonstration programme, linking the ground platform presentation with potential drone deployment applications.
DK-Unity introduced the Nikns Suns 3 counter-drone system (C-UAS) and the Pastnieks platform, adding the company’s solutions to the technologies presented during the event.
Special guests included Sandra Simovich, Ambassador of the State of Israel to Latvia, and Captain (N) Visti Salomonsen, Denmark’s Defence Attaché. Ofir Nissim from Insignito, Alesja Zvejniece from DK-Unity and Maksims Rumjancevs from Latvia’s State Border Guard also attended. The presentations and demonstrations gave participants from different professional backgrounds an opportunity to explore the solutions in a practical setting.
SAPRA welcomes LV-TEH and DK-Unity as new members of the association. Their expertise in unmanned platforms and counter-drone technologies adds to the experience represented within SAPRA’s defence industry network.
SAPRA thanks the participating companies and guests for their contributions, technology demonstrations and exchange of professional expertise.