Germany to fund military infrastructure in Lithuania
Germany will invest €110 million ($127 million) in military infrastructure in Lithuania until 2021, its defence minister said on Monday, on a visit to mark two years since NATO installed battalions in the Baltic region to ward off Russia.
In 2017, NATO deployed four multinational battalions to Poland and the Baltic states as a counter against possible Russian action following the 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. Germany leads the NATO battalion in Lithuania comprising of 1,200 troops from ten countries.
'We're going to invest in the long-term engagement,' Ursula von der Leyen told reporters, adding that Berlin would invest in 'common barracks and training fields' in Lithuania until 2021.
Lithuania's defence minister Raimundas Karoblis hailed Germany's spending plans as evidence of commitment to the NATO deployment. 'We have heard very officially, very clearly at the political level.. that Germany is for the long run here and will stay here as long as the security situation will demand it,' Karoblis said.
The other three NATO battalions deployed in 2017 are based in Estonia, Latvia and Poland and are led by Britain, Canada and the US, respectively.
The three Baltic states, with a combined population of just 6 million people, were occupied and annexed by Moscow during World War II. They broke free from the Soviet Union in 1991 and joined both the European Union and NATO in 2004.
More from Land Warfare
-
![Patria plans for improvements to CAVS 6x6]()
Patria plans for improvements to CAVS 6x6
In January 2020, the Finnish Ministry of Defence and Latvia signed a Technical Arrangement to develop the Patria 6x6 armoured wheeled vehicle chassis platform.
-
![US Army chooses Textron Systems and Griffon Aerospace in final showdown for FTUAS]()
US Army chooses Textron Systems and Griffon Aerospace in final showdown for FTUAS
The US Army plans to procure a Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) to replace the Textron Systems RQ-7Bv2 Shadow tactical UAV currently in service with the US Army's Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). The FTUAS is being developed under the wider Future UAS (FUAS) programme.
-
![British Army’s Challenger 3 undertakes qualification firings in Germany]()
British Army’s Challenger 3 undertakes qualification firings in Germany
The Challenger 3 Main Battle Tank (MBT), which will be delivered to the British Army by Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) under an £800 million (US$1 billion) contract, will stay in service beyond 2040.
-
![Lockheed Martin signs Australian air and missile defence system deal]()
Lockheed Martin signs Australian air and missile defence system deal
Air 6500 Phase 1, worth AU$500 million (US$326 million), will result in a sovereign system that can provide greater situational awareness and help to defend against hostile aircraft and missiles. It will sit at the core of Australia’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence programme.
-
![Rheinmetall wins communications deal that could be worth up to €400 million]()
Rheinmetall wins communications deal that could be worth up to €400 million
The systems have been purchased under a special fund which has already been tapped into for the purchase of 60 CH-47F Block II Chinook helicopters worth up to €8 billion (US$8.7 billion) and thousands of Rheinmetall Caracal airmobile special operations vehicles worth €1.9 billion.
-
![Italy weighs up the challenge of its tank replacement plans]()
Italy weighs up the challenge of its tank replacement plans
The Russia–Ukraine war has continued to be the place the world’s militaries have been watching for lessons on both the EW and uncrewed front. Its conventional war aspect, however, has also been catching the attention of leaders.
