The RAF bus factory-sponsored club Automobīlists played in the lower Latvian leagues in the early 1970s, but in the mid-1970s were renamed Metālists.

After three less than stellar seasons the club changed owners – it was once again attached to the RAF bus factory and renamed to Automobīlists Jelgava.

As Automobīlists the Jelgava squad also had it hard – at best it finished seasons in the middle of the table, and between 1983 and 1987 it played in the 1st league.

Meanwhile, the "international" RAF weren't doing that well – although they had in its squad several talented young players including Vladimirs Babičevs, Dzintars Sproģis, Igors Troickis and Aleksandrs Stradiņš, its results were very disappointing.

In 1990 and 1991 the team played better, but then the Soviet Union collapsed and RAF joined the Latvian Virslīga.