VALIC and Ukrainian partners exchange experience on military equipment for women
Lieutenant Colonel Alans Andrulis, Head of the State Centre for Defence Logistics and Procurement(VALIC), together with VALIC specialists, met with representatives of the Ukrainian non-governmental organisation Zemliachky to discuss Ukraine’s experience in developing and providing military equipment specifically adapted to the needs of women.
Since 2022, Zemliachky has supported women serving in the Ukrainian Armed Forces by providing anatomically adapted military equipment. The organisation works with servicewomen across a range of military specialties, including medics, communications specialists and drone operators. Its support extends beyond uniforms to include body armour, helmets and other personal protective equipment designed with consideration for the anatomical characteristics of women.
During the meeting, participants discussed practical solutions and lessons learned from Ukraine’s experience in developing and introducing women-specific equipment, as well as approaches to cooperation with industry and end users.
Representatives of VALIC and the Ukrainian side agreed that high-quality, properly fitted equipment is not merely a matter of comfort - it is an essential element of safety and combat effectiveness.
Latvia is also taking targeted steps to develop solutions for providing equipment adapted to the needs of women. Military equipment must meet operational requirements while addressing the individual needs of each service member. For this reason, VALIC places particular emphasis on ergonomic and functionally adapted solutions.
Women serving in the National Armed Forces are already provided with first-layer base clothing. Procurement procedures have also been launched for women-specific second- and third-layer base clothing, combat uniforms, cold-weather jackets and sportswear.
At the same time, VALIC continues its work on developing body armour solutions adapted to women. The objective is to provide equipment that is ergonomic, functional and fully aligned with the requirements of military service, thereby enhancing servicewomen’s safety, mobility and operational effectiveness.
The meeting with Ukrainian partners provided a valuable opportunity to exchange practical experience and insights. Such cooperation contributes to the further development of individual equipment solutions in Latvia and supports VALIC’s efforts to ensure that personnel of the National Armed Forces receive modern equipment that meets current operational requirements.