Lithuania plans to purchase additional short- and medium-range air defence systems, including MSHORAD and NASAMS batteries, Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė announced Tuesday.
Speaking to the opposition Liberal Movement in parliament, Šakalienė said a third MSHORAD short-range battery, produced by Sweden’s Saab Dynamics, will be ordered in the coming weeks. She also said Lithuania plans to acquire a fourth NASAMS medium-range surface-to-air battery, produced by Norway’s Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, within the next 24 months, with the possibility of ordering an additional battery on top of that.
In the near term, Šakalienė said Lithuania is prioritising detection capabilities. The country has begun the first procurement stage of the Sky Fortress system, a Ukrainian-developed acoustic drone detection system, and plans to purchase four more radars.
Contracts for two types of radars, as well as several dozen electronic warfare and mobile counter-drone systems, are expected to be signed in the coming weeks.
“Additional capabilities we will receive from Germany very soon will strengthen our ability to detect threats in our airspace. These are significant capabilities, even somewhat more than we expected,” Šakalienė said.
The minister emphasised that Lithuania is building its air defence based on Ukraine’s wartime experience against Russia.
“When seven of us defence ministers met with the Ukrainians, they gave a detailed presentation of their multi-layered air defence concept. Lithuania’s current plan fully aligns with that concept. We are only at the initial stages in some areas and are now building up the additional capabilities that are needed,” she said.
Air defence became a pressing issue this summer after two Russian Gerbera drones entered Lithuanian airspace, one carrying explosives. In September, about 20 Russian drones violated Polish airspace. NATO responded by reinforcing its eastern flank and launching Operation Eastern Sentry to counter Moscow’s threat.
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