NATO’s regional defence plans, approved last year, provide for capabilities beyond a German brigade to be deployed in Lithuania, Chief of Defence General Valdemaras Rupšys has said.
“The brigade is very important, but we are talking about greater capabilities than a brigade,” he told LRT RADIO on Thursday.
“The German brigade and larger formations [are in the plans]. The brigade is one of the capabilities that will be present in our region, but there are also plans for larger capabilities, not only on land but also in other components – air force, naval force in the Baltic Sea,” he added.
On the eve of the Vilnius NATO Summit last July, the alliance approved new regional defence plans reflecting changes in its strategy.
“We now have plans that clearly provide for the defence of the Euro-Atlantic space, with clear areas and assigned capabilities,” Rupšys said. “We are now approaching a stage where we discuss how to ensure command and control.”
NATO’s new regional defence plans cover the Baltics and Poland. Previously, the approach was that the Baltic countries should try to hold off an offensive until allied reinforcements can arrive to help them. The new plans aim to ensure that NATO is ready to fight back immediately.
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