Latvia Plans to Purchase U.S. Barracuda Cruise Missiles

Latvia plans to purchase long-range Barracuda family cruise missiles from U.S. company Anduril Industries.

Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs announced this after visiting an Anduril facility in the United States.

It is currently unknown which Barracuda version Latvia plans to purchase, how many missiles it will buy, the contract value, or the potential delivery timeline. At the same time, TWZ considers the Barracuda-500M, the longest-range variant in the family, the most likely option.

“We expect the procurement of Barracuda missiles to be completed and further development of Latvian-U.S. cooperation in the defense industry,” Rinkēvičs stated.

Barracuda-500M

Militarnyi previously reported that the Barracuda-500 is a jet-powered unmanned platform capable of carrying a payload, reconnaissance equipment, or electronic warfare systems. Its Barracuda-500M combat variant is essentially a compact cruise missile.

These cruise missiles have a range of more than 920 km. They can carry a payload of over 45 kg, have a flight endurance of more than two hours, and can reach a maximum speed of approximately 926 km/h, depending on the mode of operation.

Anduril positions them as relatively inexpensive, mass-producible long-range weapons. The expected manufacturing cost of a serial-production platform is estimated at no more than $150,000, while about 70% of the missile’s components are commercially available.

The company plans to significantly increase production of this weapon. In 2027, Anduril plans to produce around 7,000 Barracuda-500 missiles.

Separately, the U.S. Department of Defense has signed a framework agreement with Anduril for the delivery of at least 3,000 SLB-500M systems over three years. In 2027, the company is also expected to deliver more than 60 corresponding launchers.

Surface Launch

The missile was initially developed as an air-launched weapon, but Anduril has already developed a surface-launched SLB-500M version. In 2025, the company successfully tested a Barracuda-500 prototype with a ground launch using an additional solid-fuel booster.

The surface-based launcher is housed in a standard 20-foot ISO container and can accommodate up to 16 ready-to-launch missiles. The system can be transported to the required area and deployed without combat aircraft. It is particularly important for Latvia, which does not have its own fleet of combat aircraft.

Acquiring Barracuda would significantly expand Latvia’s long-range strike capabilities. The country has already ordered ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles for its M142 HIMARS systems, with a range of around 300 km, while the Barracuda-500M could potentially engage targets beyond 900 km.

Poland

Militarnyi previously reported that Poland’s PGZ defense group and Anduril had agreed to localize Barracuda-500M production in Poland.

In July 2026, Anduril and Polish company Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze Nr 2 agreed to establish production facilities in Bydgoszcz. Poland became the first European country to sign such an agreement with Anduril for the Barracuda. In addition, the share of Polish-made components is expected to gradually increase over time.