At least three NATO allies are expected to send air defence systems to Lithuania as part of rotational deployments next year, Defence Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas has said.
“I can say three. Maybe even more,” the defence minister told the Žinių Radijas radio on Thursday.
Kasčiūnas previously said that NATO allies from Europe should deploy their capabilities in Lithuania and that the Netherlands would be one of these nations.
When asked whether Sweden, from which Lithuania plans to procure CV90 infantry fighting vehicles, would be among these countries, the minister said, “I really cannot confirm that at this point”.
NATO agreed on a rotational air defence model in the Baltic Sea region last year. The aim is to have allied air defence systems rotating in the Baltic states almost continuously.
However, the Netherlands is the only country that has since brought Patriot long-range systems to Lithuania for several weeks for an exercise in summer.
The NATO summit in Washington in July agreed that rotational air defence in the Baltic Sea region should also be the responsibility of the alliance’s military leadership, rather than just individual member states.
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