Lithuania has chosen the German Leopard tank to arm its armed forces over the American Abrams and the South Korean Black Panther.
The country plans to sign a letter of intent for the purchase this week, Lithuanian National Radio and Television quoted defense minister Arvydas Anusauskas as saying on Monday.
“The details are a matter for the future because sustainable financial sources are needed,” he said.
Evaluation
Anusauskas explained in a Facebook post why the Leopard tank was chosen.
“The main evaluation criteria on which the decision was made were cost and maintenance costs, operational environment, mobility, protection, adaptability, protection, firepower, and connectivity,” the post said.
The Abrams’ cost to operate is one and half times higher than that of the Leopard, and the latter is operational with the armed forces of 23 countries, including 14 NATO countries. This will ensure “high interactions and compatibility with military units of Lithuanian partner countries, especially allies deployed in Lithuania,” the minister said.
In comparison, the Abrams is operational with the armed forces of the US, Poland, Taiwan, and some Middle Eastern countries, while the Black Panther is used by the South Korean and Polish militaries.
Most ‘Adaptable’ Among the Three
During the analysis of what tank to buy, the Lithuanian army “assessed all possible threats and the necessary capabilities to counter such threats,” Anusauskas explained.
The minister said the other two tanks did not meet all the “operational requirements raised by the Defense Headquarters of the Lithuanian Army” or “met them in part.”
“Leopard adaptability is the best because all combat support vehicles (excavators, engineering vehicles, bridges) are on the same platform, which ensures good compatibility, facilitates logistic supply, and preparation of mechanics,” he added.
To Arm Planned Division
Lithuania plans to acquire the tanks to equip a new military division.
The division will likely include up to 20,000 troops and is estimated to cost 200 million euros ($220 million) annually.
“By 2030, we will not only have a division, but we will also have a German brigade deployed on the territory of Lithuania, we will also maintain the forces we have now, there are also US forces, there is a NATO Forward Presence Battle Group, we will grow our own Armed Forces, and we will need to have more space to train ourselves,” chief national security advisor Kestutis Budrys said.
