On 9 July, a discussion took place at the Ministry of Transport (MoT), in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science and the European Space Agency, on the European Union’s secure connectivity satellite communications infrastructure programme IRIS² (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite) and its opportunities in Latvia, with the participation of representatives from public administration, critical infrastructure companies, the electronic communications sector, the defence sector and international organisations.
Experts from the European Commission and the European Space Agency introduced representatives of Latvian state institutions to the progress of IRIS² implementation, the system architecture, governmental satellite communications services (GovSatCom), as well as future solutions, including satellite communications opportunities for cooperation with the user.
The Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Education, LMT Defence, the National Armed Forces, the State Fire and Rescue Service and the Latvian State Radio and Television Centre (LVRTC) took part in the discussions. Participants were invited to identify potential use scenarios and technical requirements, including the necessary data transmission speeds, number of users, service capacity, latency requirements, operation under conditions of electronic interference, the technical characteristics of terminals and the need for mobility.
In the information submitted before the meeting and in the discussions, several practical directions for the use of IRIS² were outlined. Operational services, including the State Fire and Rescue Service, the State Police, the State Border Guard and representatives of the Information Centre of the Ministry of the Interior, see the potential of satellite communications for ensuring continuity of operations in crisis situations when traditional electronic communications networks are not available. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed to opportunities to use IRIS² as a backup communications channel in Latvia’s diplomatic missions abroad.
Electronic communications and infrastructure companies, including LVRTC and “Tet”, emphasised the potential of IRIS² as additional or backup connectivity for ensuring critical services, while also pointing to the need to continue assessing the system’s technical capabilities and integration aspects.
The discussion confirmed the interest of Latvian institutions and companies in the development of secure, resilient and Europe-based satellite communications services, which could in the future strengthen national security, crisis management, the resilience of critical infrastructure and digital connectivity.
