The opposition conservative Homeland Union–Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD) have proposed bolstering the country’s defences with a so-called 'drone wall' – a system combining reconnaissance and combat drones, air defences, and artificial intelligence.
“A drone wall is a 15-kilometre inaccessible zone based on sensors, radars and various types of unmanned aerial vehicles. [...] The first contact happens between technologies, not troops,” TS-LKD leader Laurynas Kasčiūnas said on Tuesday while presenting the proposal.
According to the party, the 'drone wall' is an integrated defence system designed to detect, assess, and neutralise threats.
“It combines physical, electronic, unmanned and artificial intelligence components into a seamless, decentralised but coordinated architecture. The aim is to remove humans from the first line of response and allow technology to react faster than the enemy can act,” the proposal states.
The first element of the 'drone wall' would be a sensor network, comprising a range of radars and electronic warfare tools. The second line of defence would involve close reconnaissance and first-person view (FPV) drones. These systems would be activated within seconds of detecting a target crossing the border, the party says.
These drones would be designed to conduct reconnaissance and carry out short-range strikes of between one and five kilometres, acting effectively as 'suicide drones' with explosives.
This would be followed by medium- and long-range reconnaissance and attack drones capable of surveying and striking enemy logistics, headquarters, and infrastructure at distances of 10–150 kilometres, according to the proposal.
The TS-LKD’s concept also includes heavy multi-rotor, maritime, and land-based drones.
Multi-rotor drones are night-time aircraft designed to destroy targets from the air by dropping explosives and mines. In addition to combat roles, they could perform logistical tasks, transporting ammunition, medical supplies, food, and other essentials to forward positions.
In terms of the development of maritime drones, the TS-LKD call for the protection of ports, coastal facilities, and energy infrastructure against sabotage, mines, or enemy landings from the sea.
Land-based drones would be used to deliver ammunition, food, or equipment without human intervention, or to deploy and neutralise mines in battle zones.
“These drones allow operations in dangerous terrain, minimising personnel losses,” the proposal states.
The party also advocates developing anti-drone air defences.
“Multi-layered air defence [...] is based on a ring deployment from border to critical asset protection and operates in a unified ‘common aerial view’ network,” the concept paper says.
The TS-LKD proposes reinforcing air defence with interception drones, jammers, missiles, ammunition towers, and a drone recognition system.
The entire 'drone wall' would be coordinated by an artificial intelligence analysis system connecting all sensors, drones, and operators, the party says.
It suggests integrating the drone capability into Lithuanian army brigades, battalions, and companies via specialised headquarters, strategic units, and a standardised training system.
“This process includes the management of drone operations, the integration of intelligence and fire support, as well as the application of logistics and mine-action functions at various tactical levels,” the proposal reads.
Kasčiūnas said the creation of a 'drone wall' would also stimulate the development of Lithuania’s defence industry. “This would be a new ecosystem,” he said.
He added that although the party is currently in opposition, its proposals are not ignored.
In May, the party suggested establishing a defence line named after Vytautas the Great along the border, and last week the Defence Ministry announced a shift from developing individual engineering capabilities to creating a single defence line.
As previously reported by BNS, in May 2024 the then Interior Minister Agnė Bilotaitė said regional countries had agreed to develop a 'drone wall'. She explained that the system would use UAVs to monitor borders and deploy anti-drone measures to prevent smuggling and provocations.
However, in March, Lithuania and Estonia were unsuccessful in securing EU funding for the project.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
