Global LT
3rd generation Lithuanian expatriate: My experience as military conscript
Liudvikas Jakavičius, a 31-year-old third-generation Lithuanian expatriate from Mexico, shares his experience of military service in the Lithuanian army. […]
Lithuanian Armed Forces
Defence
Two thirds of Lithuanians support raising defence funding
About 67% of the Lithuanian population fully or in part agree on the need to increase defence funding to 2% of the gross domestic product (GDP), shows a poll published by the Ministry of National Defence. […]
Defence
Defence Minister’s position on conscription ‘irresponsible’, says army founder
One of the founders of the Lithuanian army has said the Defence Minister, Juozas Olekas’s position that a professional army is sufficient and conscription is not needed is irresponsible in current international conditions. […]
Sports
Valančiūnas makes it onto Lithuanian conscription list
Jonas Valančiūnas, the Toronto Raptors center beloved by basketball fans both in Lithuania and abroad, made it into the conscription list as part of Lithuania’s mandatory military conscription for 2016. […]
Defence
New motorized infantry brigade will be formed in Western Lithuania in 2016
Starting on 1 January, 2016, a new motorized infantry brigade named Žemaitija will be formed in Western Lithuania. […]
Defence
Lithuania’s Javelin missiles will turn Russian tanks into ‘tin cans,’ report claims
Last week, it was officially confirmed that Lithuania will buy Javelin mid-range anti-tank systems from the United States for €50 million. The T-72 tank, widely used by Russian army and also used in Ukraine, is like a tin can when faced with a Javelin. More about the Lithuanian military‘s new purchase was revealed on an LRT TV programme about military weapons. […]
Society
Lithuanian-Russian school teachers say their schools are not vehicles for Moscow propaganda
A week after Gediminas Grina, the former chief of Lithuania’s State Security Department (VSD) compared the country’s ethnic minority schools to “education ghettos” and called for their removal, Klaipeda’s Russian school teachers are still upset about his comments. […]
Defence
Defence
US to maintain troops in Lithuania
While on a formal visit in the United States, Lithuania’s Minister of National Defence Juozas Olekas met with US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter on 17 November in Washington, Lithuania’s Ministry of National Defence reports. […]
Defence
Defence
Citizens’ donations to Lithuanian military grow seven-fold
In 2015, people more actively donated to the Lithuanian army by transferring 2 percent of their personal income tax. The number of such contributions has increased seven times. […]
Defence
Lithuania enters PZH 2000 howitzer partnership project
On October 21 at a session of the Land Combat Vehicles (LCV) Support Partnership of the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) in Luxembourg, Lithuania joined the PzH2000 self-propelled 155mm howitzer user project by a unanimous agreement of Croatia, Italy, Germany, Greece, and the Netherlands – all the countries taking part in the project. […]
Defence
Lithuanian soldiers begin training in Trident Juncture
Military personnel from Lithuania and other countries of the NATO Alliance taking part in NATO Exercise Trident Juncture 2015 have redeployed to Spain, set up military camps in San Gregorio and are beginning to train according to the exercise scenario, Lithuania’s Ministry of National Defence said. […]
Defence
Lithuania’s defence budget 2016-2018 focuses on developing priority capabilities and combat training
Draft National Defence System Budget 2016-2018 has been submitted for consideration by the Lithuanian Parliament. With an aim to implement the strategic priorities of the activities of the National Defence System for the nearest future, the demand for defence appropriations for 2016 is EUR 574.0 million, or 1.48 percent of GDP. The sum exceeds the adopted Defence Budget 2016 by EUR 149 million, the Ministry of National Defence reports. […]
Defence
Logistics specialists to support Lithuanian troops in Exercise Trident Juncture 2015
Logistics and movement control specialists of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and Mobile Refuelling Unit will provide logistical support to Lithuanian and allied troops taking part in NATO‘s Exercise Trident Juncture 2015 in Spain until 6 November, the Ministry of National Defence reports. […]
Defence
Lithuanian military receives second Eurocopter
The second of three new helicopters Eurocopter Dauphin arrived in Zokniai Airbase near Šiauliai on Friday. It will be used by the Lithuanian military for search and rescue operations. […]
Defence
NATO experts welcome Lithuania’s defence reforms
On 13-14 October, NATO defence planning experts conducted a visit in Lithuania to assess the status quo of Lithuania’s defence capabilities and prospective defence reforms. NATO experts were particularly interested in the steps Lithuania made to respond to changing security situation in the region, Lithuania’s Ministry of National Defence said. […]
Defence
Lithuanian officer injured in helicopter crash in Afghanistan to be transported to Germany
A Lithuanian officer who was injured in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan is expected to be transported to The Landstuhl Regional Medical Centre in Ramstein, Germany, on Wednesday. The Joint Staff of the Lithuanian Armed Forces learned about this from Bahram military hospital were the officer is being treated. […]
Defence
Constructions begin as Lithuania enhances airspace surveillance
Constructions of military infrastructure necessary for installation of new long-range radars and contracted for by the Lithuanian Armed Forces begins in the 1st (Antaversis village, Prienai district) and the 3rd (Degučiai village, Šilutė district) radiolocation posts of the Lithuanian Air Force, Lithuania’s Ministry of National Defence reports. […]
Lithuania and Sweden to strengthen security and defence cooperation
On 24 September Deputy Minister Marijus Velička underscored Lithuania’s intent to strengthen military cooperation with Sweden and other Nordic countries in a range of areas at a meeting with State Secretary Jan Salestrand of Swedish Ministry of Defence at the Ministry of National Defence of Lithuania. “Nordic-Baltic cooperation is a crucial factor of ensuring security in the region,” the deputy minister of national defence said. […]