Clearer military requirements could unlock UGV market growth
Western armies continue to test uncrewed ground vehicles, but wider procurement will depend on turning ambitions for autonomy into defined operational roles and funded requirements.
Lithuania orders M14 accessories
M14 L1 rifles for the Lithuanian Armed Forces. (Photo: Lithuanian MoD)
Surplus US M14 semi-automatic rifles have armed the Lithuanian military since the late 1990s.
The Lithuanian Armed Forces have ordered accessory kits for the M14 7.62mm semi-automatic rifle from local firm UAB Baltic Arms, in a sole-source contract worth almost €985,000 ($1.16 million).
Baltic Arms will complete work on the contract in July 2023, the Lithuanian MoD announced in a notice on the official EU tenders database.
The US donated surplus M14 rifles to Lithuania in 1999 as part of a security assistance package. Estonia also received about 25,000 of the rifles.
Lithuania has upgraded some of its M14s to the M14 L1 standard for use as a designated marksman rifle, while other variants include the M14 MDV and M14 EBR SOP (for use by Lithuanian SOF).
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