Military of Lithuania

Information about Military of Lithuania

Military of Lithuania
Military Manpower
Military age18 years of age (voluntary)
19 years of age (compulsory)
AvailabilityMales age 15-49: 925,551 (2000 est.)
Fit for military serviceMales age 15-49: 727,609 (2000 est.)
Reaching military age annuallyMales: 27,259 (2000 est.)
Active troops16,000
Branches
Military Expenditures
Amount$621 million (FY2007)
Percent of GDP2.0% (FY2007)
The Lithuanian Armed Forces consist of 16000 personnel in uniform.

Lithuania's defence system is based on the concept of "total and unconditional defence" mandated by Lithuania's national security strategy. The goal of Lithuania's defence policy is to prepare their society for general defence and to integrate Lithuania into Western security and defence structures. The defence ministry is responsible for combat forces, search/rescue, and intelligence operations. There is a mandatory 1-year conscription, with alternative service available for conscientious objectors.

The 5,400 border guards fall under the Interior Ministry's supervision and are responsible for border protection, passport and customs duties, and share responsibility with the navy for smuggling/drug trafficking interdiction. A special security department handles VIP protection and communications security.

Lithuania cooperates with Estonia and Latvia in the joint infantry battalion BALTBAT and naval squadron BALTRON as well as with Poland in the LITPOLBAT, all of which are available for peacekeeping operations.

Enlarge picture
German F-4 Phantom NATO fighter jet
NATO fighter aircraft are involved in the patrolling and protection of Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian air space (see Baltic Air Policing). No threat is perceived, however the NATO treaty requires air defence patrols of partner countries' airspace. Each contributing nation deploys (usually four) aircraft for a period of four months to the former Soviet air base Siauliai.

The Lithuanian Armed Forces consist of Ground Forces, Navy, Air and Air Defence Force, Security Forces (internal and border troops), and Voluntary National Defence Forces (KASP).

Organisation

Flag Officers (OF 10 - 6) and Officers (5 - 1)

NATO CodeOF-10OF-9OF-8OF-7OF-6OF-5OF-4OF-3OF-2OF-1OF-D-Student Officer
 Lithuania ()No EquivalentNo EquivalentNo Equivalent
Generolas leitenantasGenerolas majorasBrigados generolasPulkininkasPulkininkas leitenantasMajorasKapitonasVyresnysis leitenantasLeitenantasKariūnas

Lithuanian Army

Enlarge picture
Structure of the Lithuanian Army
The Army has 5800 personnel. The core of the Lithuanian force structure is the Geležinis Vilkas ('Iron Wolf' Mechanised Infantry Brigade - fully operational in 2005) consisting of four Mechanized Infantry battalions, one artillery battalion and logistics and support units. The National Volunteer Defense Forces consist of one battalion-sized unit in each of Lithuania's 10 districts.

Since the summer of 2005 Lithuania has been part of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan (ISAF), leading a Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in the town of Chaghcharan in the province of Ghor. Currently, there are 130 soldiers stationed in Ghor. The PRT includes personnel from Denmark, Iceland and USA.

Equipment:

Vehicles: AntiTank guns: Anti Aircraft:

Lithuanian Navy

Enlarge picture
Naval ensign (Ratio 1:2)
The Navy has 700 personnel. The Navy structure consists of naval headquarters, Sea Coastal Surveillance System (SCSS), mine coutermeasures, frigates, patrol ships and small boat squadrons. The current Commander in Chief of the Lithuanian Navy is Rear Admiral (l.h.) Kęstutis Macijauskas. The main Naval base and headquarters are located in the city of Klaipėda. The Navy uses patrol boats and former Russian corvettes for coastal surveillance. The vessels are organized into a Combat Ship Squadron (F) and a Patrol Boat Squadron (P). One command ship (A) is part of each squadron.

Lithuanian Air Force

The military command center is located in Šiauliai (Zokniai Airport). Lithuanian Air Force has started a modernisation programme to bring their hardware closer to NATO standards and therefore are gradually withdrawing from use a number of former Russian aircraft and helicopters, the replacement of which is now starting. It is also planned that by the 2011/2012 timeframe the Baltic States will be able to provide their own air-cover with a fighter type yet to be selected and acquired.

First new Lithuanian hardware arrived on 22 December 2006 when the first of three state of the art Alenia Aeronautica C-27J Spartan tactical transport was delivered at Siauliai airbase ensuring interoperability with its NATO partners. Two out of the three Antonov An-26 transport aircraft will be kept in service during the transition period. Air space will be patrolled by jet fighters from other NATO members, which are based out of the Šiauliai air base .

Aircraft Origin Type Versions[1] In service Notes
Aero L-39 Albatros Czech Republicjet trainer/light-attack aircraftL-39C
L-39ZA		4
2
Alenia C-27 Spartan ItalytransportC-27J1
Antonov An-26 Curl RussiatransportAn-26B3
Let L-410 Turbolet Czech RepublictransportL-410T2
Antonov An-2 Colt RussiatransportAn-24
Mil Mi-8 RussiahelicopterMi-8MTV
Mi-8T
Mi-8T
Mi-8PS		1
3
3
2		Armed transport
troop transport
Search and rescue
VIP transport


A very interesting part of the Lithuanian Air Arms is the Lithuanian Border Guard. The Krasto Apsaugos Savanoriskosios Pajegos (KASP, Lithuanian Border Guard) is operating from two main bases; Siluté in the southwest and Kyviskes in the northeastern part of the country. Lithuania Border guard have received new aircraft to patrol the borders with non-NATO foreign nations.

Aircraft Origin Type Versions[2] In service
Eurocopter Colibri European Unionsingle-engine helicopterEC120B2
Eurocopter EC 135 European Unionlight-twin engine helicoptersEC135 T12
Eurocopter EC 145 European Unionlight-twin engine helicoptersEC1451


See also List of airports in Lithuania''.

External links

 •  • [ e]
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)




References

1. ^ [1]
2. ^ [2]
Motto
"Tautos jėga vienybėje"
"The strength of the nation lies in unity"
Anthem
Tautiška giesmė


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conscientious objector (CO) is an individual following the religious, moral or ethical dictates of his or her conscience that are incompatible with being a combatant in military service, or being part of the armed forces as a combatant organization.
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Motto
"Tēvzemei un Brīvībai"   ( Latvian)
"For Fatherland and Freedom"
Anthem
Dievs, svētī Latviju!   (Latvian)
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In 1998 the Baltic Naval Squadron (BALTRON) was inaugurated. The main responsibility of BALTRON is to improve the co-operation between the Baltic States in the areas of naval defence and security.
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Motto
none1
Anthem
Mazurek Dąbrowskiego   (Polish)
Dąbrowski's Mazurek
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fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for attacking other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed to attack ground targets, primarily by dropping bombs. Fighters are comparatively small, fast, and maneuverable.
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Baltic air-policing mission is a NATO air defence Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) in order to guard the airspace over the three Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
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An army (from Latin armata "act of arming" via Old French armée), in the broadest sense, is the land-based armed forces of a nation. It may also include other branches of the military such as an air force.
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navy is the branch of a country's military forces principally designated for naval warfare and amphibious warfare (marines) namely lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions.
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air force, in some countries called an air army, is a military or armed service that primarily conducts aerial warfare. It typically consists of a combination of fighters, bombers, helicopters, transport planes and other aircraft.
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Motto
"Tautos jėga vienybėje"
"The strength of the nation lies in unity"
Anthem
Tautiška giesmė


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The 'Iron Wolf' Mechanised Infantry Brigade (Lithuanian: motorizuotoji pėstininkų brigada 'Geležinis vilkas') is the core unit of the Lithuanian Army. The brigade's current commander is Lt. Col. Darius Užkuraitis.
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Lithuania

This article is part of the series:
Politics of Lithuania

  • Constitution
  • Constitutional Court
  • President
  • Valdas Adamkus
  • Prime Minister

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International Security Assistance Force (10) (ISAF) is the name of a NATO-led security and development mission in Afghanistan which was established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001[1]
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M113 is an armored personnel carrier family of vehicles in use with the US military and many other nations.

It is a fully tracked vehicle capable of limited amphibious operation in lakes and streams, extended cross-country travel over rough terrain, and high speed operation
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BTR-60 is the first vehicle in a series of Soviet eight-wheeled armoured personnel carriers. It was developed in late 1950s as a replacement for BTR-152 and was seen first time in public in 1961.
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BRDM-2 (Boyevaya Razvedyvatelnaya Dozornaya Mashina, Боевая Разведывательная Дозорная
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MT-LB (многоцелевой тягач легко б
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Mercedes-Benz G-Class or G-Wagen, short for Geländewagen (or cross-country vehicle), is a four-wheel drive vehicle / luxury SUV produced by German automaker Mercedes-Benz.
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Unimog (from the German "UNIversal-MOtor-Gerät", meaning "universal powered unit") designates a range of multi purpose four wheel drive medium trucks produced by Mercedes-Benz (a division of Daimler AG).
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Land Rover Defender is a British four wheel drive Off-road utility vehicle. It is the product of continued development of the original utility Land Rover Series I launched in 1948.
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Carl Gustav is the common name for the 84mm recoilless rifle anti-tank weapon from Bofors Anti Armour AB in Sweden. The Carl Gustav was first introduced in 1946, and while similar weapons of the era have generally disappeared, the Carl Gustav remains in widespread use today, and is
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RPG-7 (Russian: РПГ-7) is a widely-produced, portable, shoulder-launched, anti-tank rocket propelled grenade weapon. Originally the RPG-7 (Ruchnoi (Hand-held) Protivotankovyi (Anti-Tank) Granatamyot (Grenade Launcher) and its
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AT-4 may refer to:
  • AT4, a Swedish unguided one-shot anti-tank weapon.
  • AT-4 Spigot, a Russian guided anti-tank missile.
  • AT-4 Hawk U.S. Army biplane advanced trainer of 1927

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FGM-148 Javelin is an American man-portable anti-tank guided missile.

Overview

Javelin is a fire-and-forget missile with lock-on before launch and automatic self-guidance.
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Function short-range man portable surface-to-air missile
Manufacturer Raytheon Missile Systems
Unit cost US$38,000
Entered service 1981
General characteristics
Engine two-stage solid rocket motor
Launch mass 15.
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The Avenger Air Defense System is an American military weapon system utilized by both the Army and the Marine Corps that provides mobile, short-range air defense protection for ground units against cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, low-flying fixed-wing aircraft,
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Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank that is usually two-star rank ranking below Vice Admiral. It originated from the days of Naval Sailing Squadrons and can trace its origins to the Royal Navy.
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Russian: Альбатрос; NATO reporting name: Grisha-I) was a series of 12 large anti-submarine corvettes built by the Soviet Union between 1970 and 1974.
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