With construction at the Rūdninkai military training area ahead of schedule, Lithuanian defence officials are moving to speed up the next phase of the development that will house part of a German brigade deployed to the country by 2027.
Eika Construction, the company tasked with building the first phase of the military campus under a €125 million contract, announced it intends to complete the work six months earlier than originally planned. The accelerated timeline could enable Lithuanian and allied troops to begin using parts of the facility for training as early as late 2025 or early 2026.
Deputy Defence Minister Orijana Masalė said Tuesday that the ministry is now working to expedite the selection process for the public-private partnership (PPP) agreements that will fund the second phase of the development, which is valued at roughly €1.8 billion, including VAT.
“Negotiations, like tango, are a dance for two,” Masalė told reporters during a briefing at the construction site in the Šalčininkai District. “If we do not have any legal disputes on the business side, if businesses come to the negotiations properly prepared, then yes, we are working day and night on our side.”
She said reaching a deal by the end of the year is already an ambitious target, but finalising contracts earlier would be “another piece of good news for this project”.
The PPP phase has been divided into three separate packages, each worth approximately €400 million. A single company will be permitted to participate in no more than two of the three tenders. The application process closed in early June, and the ministry has not disclosed how many bids were received.
Masalė said the ministry is reviewing some 14,000 pages of submitted documents, with plans to begin formal negotiations with bidders in July. Talks will be split into three parts: technical, legal, and financial.
The Rūdninkai military campus is being built roughly 1.5 kilometres from the village of Rūdninkai. Though the facility is being developed primarily for German troops, Masalė said discussions are ongoing about allowing Lithuanian and other allied forces to conduct training there as well.
The first phase includes the construction of infrastructure and shooting ranges that will enable training to begin before full completion of the campus in 2027.
Eika Construction CEO Almantas Čebanauskas said the project’s fast pace and evolving requirements are major challenges.
“We sometimes joke that we are driving on a highway at 140 kilometres per hour and then something changes,” he said. “Everything is going in parallel. It’s really impossible to do it in a consistent step-by-step manner.”
Across Lithuania, around 200 military infrastructure projects are underway, totalling an estimated €4 billion over the next four years. These include developments at the Šiauliai Air Base and logistics facilities nationwide.
To manage this growing portfolio, the Defence Ministry is expanding and restructuring its Infrastructure Management Agency. Over the next eight to nine months, the agency is expected to grow from 80 to 140 employees, with a €11 million annual budget.
“We want to bring together professional managers who have extensive knowledge of construction, engineering, and project management. Just as important are experts who know public procurement, the law, finances,” Masalė said, adding that transparency is just as important as technical know-how.
Lithuania is increasing defence spending significantly as it prepares not only to host NATO allies, but also to expand its own armed forces. By 2030, the country plans to establish a full army division, including its first-ever tank purchases and other heavy equipment. Defence funding is projected to reach 5–6% of GDP between 2026 and 2030.
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