Lithuania’s acting Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė will meet NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), General Alexus Grynkewich, in Vilnius in September to discuss strengthening anti-drone defences.
“I am meeting with the SACEUR in Vilnius in early September to discuss the results of this assessment and what additional capabilities could be used in our country,” Šakalienė told LRT on Thursday.
Earlier in August, Šakaliene said she and General Grynkewich had agreed that the Alliance would become involved in protecting Lithuania’s airspace. At the time, she confirmed that a team of NATO experts would arrive in the country in the coming weeks to assess its airspace surveillance system and provide recommendations on boosting air defence.
“The first thing that was agreed was to immediately step up the sharing of certain intelligence, as well as the arrival of NATO colleagues in Lithuania to evaluate our air defence, including anti-drone protection, and what more could be done,” she told LRT.
Minister added that other NATO allies “do not yet have perfect solutions either, but they are testing various options, experimenting with new technologies and certain weapons.”
Lithuania has moved to strengthen its anti-drone systems after two Russian-made Gerbera drones crossed from Belarus into Lithuanian territory earlier this summer. One was carrying two kilograms of explosives.
Military officials believe both drones entered Lithuanian airspace after their flight paths were diverted by electronic warfare, with Russia originally directing them towards Ukraine.
Following the incidents, Lithuania’s defence and foreign ministers sent a joint letter to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte urging allies to deploy anti-drone capabilities in the Baltic state.
The government in Vilnius plans to invest €500m in additional air defence systems.
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