The Lithuanian Ministry of National Defense has announced that the country plans to spend approximately 1 billion euros ($1.09 billion) on new military weapons from the US and Germany.
The move is part of Lithuania’s increased defense spending amid growing tensions in Europe due to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
According to defense minister Arvydas Anusauskas, the high-powered weapons could help Lithuania bolster its military firepower and support its modernization efforts.
“Upon and during the implementation of the national defense upgrade program, capabilities of the Lithuanian army will increase, as will the country’s defensibility,” the minister said, as quoted by The Baltic Times. “In parallel, the presence of allied forces in Lithuania will be expanded.”
The procurement of new American and German weapons is expected to happen “over the next couple of years.”
Additional Military Investments
In addition to purchasing arms from strategic partners, the Lithuanian army plans to improve its air defense, air surveillance, anti-tank, military intelligence, and logistics capabilities.
The country is reportedly buying equipment such as infantry fighting vehicles “Vilkas” (“Wolf” in Lithuanian) and self-propelled howitzers from Germany to beef up its land force’s maneuverability and firepower.
Two additional Lithuanian Land Force battalions will also be equipped with German armored platforms.
In an effort to improve the Baltic nation’s anti-tank capability, Lithuania will purchase Switchblade combat drones and Javelin medium-range anti-tank systems from the US, which can destroy enemy armored assets at a range of up to 40 kilometers (24.8 miles).
Four UH-60M multi-purpose helicopters, new radars, drones, and armored all-terrain vehicles will also be acquired as part of the country’s modernization program.