Lithuania and Germany agree on howitzer deal

The financial side of the deal has not been disclosed but the ministry’s representatives say the purchase conditions are “favourable”.

Asta Galdikaitė, spokeswoman for the ministry, told BNS Lithuania would also purchase command and control vehicles, logistic support and maintenance equipment needed for effective activities of an artillery battalion.

The German army will also hand over to Lithuania, without additional costs, four Pzh2000 systems that will be used for troop training, logistic support and maintenance.

According to Galdikaitė, the experts also agreed on the training of Lithuanian artillery instructors at the German army’s School of Artillery.

The next meeting on the issue is scheduled for the middle of June in Vilnius.

“We plan to sign the Pzh2000 contract as early as this year,” Galdikaitė told BNS.

Lithuanian military say the German artillery systems would step up the Lithuanian army‘s combat power as such systems are capable of reaching targets with a distance 40-70 kilometres.

During its visit to Germany, the Lithuanian delegation was also interested in possibilities to purchase German Boxer armoured fighting vehicles, although Vilnius has not made any final decisions on their acquisition.

Demonstrating its commitment to NATO’s collective defence, Germany plans to send over 500 troops for training in Lithuania this year.