The
Lithuanian Armed Forces consist of ~15,000 active personnel (~2,400 of them -
civilianA civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces. The term is also often used colloquially to refer to people who are not members of a particular profession or occupation, especially by law enforcement agencies, which often use...
) and are supported by 100,000 reserve forces.
ConscriptionConscription is a general term for involuntary labor demanded by an established authority. It is most often used in the specific sense of requiring citizens to serve in the armed forces...
was ended in September 2008.
LithuaniaLithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the southernmost of the three Baltic states. Situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, it shares borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the southeast, Poland, and the Russian exclave of...
's defence system is based on the concept of "total and unconditional defence" mandated by Lithuania's national
Security StrategyA Security Strategy is a document prepared periodically which outlines the major national security concerns of a country or organisation and outlines plans to deal with them. Currently, several security strategies exist:...
. 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 and rescueSearch and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.-Definitions of Search and Rescue:There are many different definitions of search and rescue, depending on the agency involved....
, and intelligence operations.
The 5,400
border guardsThe State Border Guard Service is the organisation charged with controlling and maintaining the Lithuanian Border. The State Border Guard Service falls under authority of the Ministry of the Interior, which supervises and controls the implementation of border guard policy.-1918-1940:Following the...
fall under the Interior Ministry's supervision and are responsible for border protection,
passportA passport is a document, issued by a national government, which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. The elements of identity are name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth...
and customs duties, and share responsibility with the
navyThe Lithuanian Navy is the naval arm of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. Though formally established on 1 September 1935 its roots stretch back as far as naval engagements on the Baltic Sea in the Medieval period...
for
smugglingSmuggling, also known as trafficking, is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons past a point where prohibited, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
/ drug trafficking interdiction. A special security department handles VIP protection and
communications securityCommunications security : Measures and controls taken to deny unauthorized persons information derived from telecommunications and ensure the authenticity of such telecommunications. Communications security includes cryptosecurity, transmission security, emission security, traffic-flow security...
.
Structure
The Lithuanian Armed Forces consist of the Lithuanian Land Force,
Lithuanian Air ForceLithuanian Air Force or LAF is the military aviation branch of the Lithuanian armed forces. It is formed from professional military servicemen and non-military personnel. Units are located at Zokniai airport near the city Šiauliai.- History :...
,
Lithuanian Naval ForceThe Lithuanian Navy is the naval arm of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. Though formally established on 1 September 1935 its roots stretch back as far as naval engagements on the Baltic Sea in the Medieval period...
, Training Command and Logistics Command. Directly subordinated to the
Chief of DefenceThe Chief of Defence is the highest military commander of a nation's armed forces. The term CHOD is in common use within NATO and the European Union as a generic term for the highest national military position within the NATO and EU member states, rather than the actual term used for individual...
are the Special Operations Forces and Military Police. The Reserve Forces are under command of the
Lithuanian National Defence Volunteer ForcesThe National Defence Volunteer Forces or NDVF is an important part of Lithuanian Armed Forces. The Commander of the NDVF is appointed by the Minister of National Defence and is subordinate to the Commander of the Armed Forces. The NDVF is organised along administrative boundaries...
.
To ensure that Lithuanian Armed Forces are ready to act in the modern security environment,
meet its high requirements and implement its tasks, a review of structure is carried out. Structural overview is a complex and long process, encompassing the reorganisation, merging, or dissolution of military units, personnel downsizing, and disbandment of unnecessary military infrastructure. This process is crucial in order to maintain and improve the effectiveness of the national defence system. In carrying out the defence reform, the emphasis and priorities of defence planning have shifted from large military units designed for territorial defence to the development of capabilities necessary for the collective defence of the
NATOThe North Atlantic Treaty Organization ); ), also called "the Atlantic Alliance", is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on April 4, 1949...
Alliance and
LithuaniaLithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the southernmost of the three Baltic states. Situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, it shares borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the southeast, Poland, and the Russian exclave of...
. According to this principle, Lithuania has abandoned plans for building up
Land ForcesLand Forces may refer to:*The British Army's four-star command, Headquarters Land Forces, formerly Land Command*Canadian Forces Land Force Command...
consisting of three
infantryInfantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of the Combat Arms they are the backbone of armies...
brigades prepared for territorial defence. In 2003, after abandoning the doctrine of territorial defence, the Eastern Military District was disbanded, and in 2004, the Western Military District was disbanded. Two infantry battalions were reorganised into logistic battalions. Lithuanian
The Grand Duke Kęstutis Motorised Infantry Battalion was moved to the
Iron Wolf Mechanised Infantry BrigadeThe
'Iron Wolf' Mechanised Infantry Brigade is the core unit of the Lithuanian Army and forms the country's contribution to NATO collective defence...
. The First and Second
Air Force BaseAn Air Force Base is a military airbase of any of a number of air forces, such as the United States Air Force or South African Air Force ....
s were merged into one Air Force Base in
ŠiauliaiŠiauliai , is the fifth largest city in Lithuania, with a population of 129,075. It is the capital of Šiauliai County. Unofficially, the city is the capital of Northern Lithuania...
. Upon the completion of these reforms, Lithuania will be able to field armed forces that will be able to react more rapidly, be more mobile, easier to deploy, better equipped, and better trained to be able to contribute to any kind of NATO-led or other operation inside or outside the country.
Lithuanian Land Force
The core of the Lithuanian Land Force structure is the
Iron Wolf Mechanised Infantry BrigadeThe
'Iron Wolf' Mechanised Infantry Brigade is the core unit of the Lithuanian Army and forms the country's contribution to NATO collective defence...
(MIB "Iron Wolf") consisting of four Mechanized Infantry battalions, one
artillery battalionThe General Romualdas Giedraitis Artillery Battalion, equipped with 105mm howitzers, was founded in December 2000, under a joint Lithuanian-Danish project - LITART...
and
logisticsLogistics is the management of the flow of goods, information and other resources, including energy and people, between the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet the requirements of consumers...
and support units. In the future, MIB “Iron Wolf” will also have Air Defence and Anti-tank companies, which will ensure the brigade’s sustainability during operations .
The Lithuanian Land forces plan to undertake a major modernization within 2012. New weapons and heavier armor will be acquired. In 2007 the Land forces bought the German
Heckler & Koch G36The G36 is a German 5.56mm assault rifle, designed in the early 1990s by Heckler & Koch and accepted into service with the Bundeswehr in 1997, replacing the 7.62mm G3 battle rifle.-Development:...
rifle to replace the older Swedish
Ak-4The G3 is a 7.62mm battle rifle developed in the 1950s by the German armament manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH in collaboration with the Spanish state-owned design and development agency CETME ....
within the second quarter of 2009 as main weapon. It is planned to buy new armoured personnel carriers /
Infantry fighting vehicleAn infantry fighting vehicle is a type of armoured fighting vehicle used to carry infantry into battle and provide fire support for them.- Background :...
s before 2010. Possible variants are the Austrian
Pandur 8X8The Pandur II 8x8 is an improved modular all-wheel-drive version of the Pandur 6x6 APC wheeled armoured vehicle. It was developed as a private venture by the Austrian company Steyr-Daimler-Puch Spezialfahrzeuge and is currently in production for the Portuguese Armed Forces...
, the Finnish Patria AMV or the Swiss
PiranhaThe MOWAG Piranha is a family of armoured fighting vehicles designed by the Swiss MOWAG corporation.Four generations of vehicles have been produced, manufactured by MOWAG or under licence by other companies, and variants are in service with military forces throughout the world.-Variants:Piranhas...
.
Lithuania is determined to restructure the armed forces so that from the end of 2014, one tenth of the Land Forces could at any given time be deployed for international operations, while half of the Land Forces would be prepared to be deployed outside Lithuania’s borders.
Lithuanian Navy
The Navy has 700 personnel. The Navy consists of naval headquarters, Sea Coastal Surveillance System (SCSS), mine countermeasures, corvettes, fast patrol boats and small boat squadrons. The current Commander in Chief of the Lithuanian Navy is Captain (N) Olegas Mariničius. The Naval base and Headquarters are located in the city of
KlaipėdaKlaipėda is a city in Lithuania situated at the mouth of the Curonian Lagoon where it flows into the Baltic Sea. As Lithuania's only seaport, it has ferry terminal connections to Sweden and Germany...
. The Navy uses fast patrol boats and former Russian corvettes for coastal surveillance. The ships are organized into a Combat Ship Squadron (F), Patrol Boat Squadron (P) and Mine Countermeasures Squadron (M).
On November 28, 2008 the British
Ministry of DefenceThe Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
(MoD) and the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence signed a sales agreement on board
HMS VictoryHMS Victory is a first rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, started in 1759 and launched in 1765, most famous as Lord Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar...
in Portsmouth, UK, for the acquisition and reactivation of two former
Royal NavyThe Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of HM Armed Forces . From the beginning of the 18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early...
"Hunt"-class Mine countermeasure vessels -
HMS Cottesmore HMS Cottesmore was a Hunt-class mine countermeasure vessel of the British Royal Navy, launched in 1982 and converted in 1997 into a patrol vessel. The ship was declared surplus to requirement and put on the MoD list for disposal in 2004...
and
DulvertonHMS Dulverton was a Hunt-class mine countermeasure vessel of the British Royal Navy, launched in 1982 and converted in 1997 into a patrol vessel. The ship was declared surplus to requirement and put on the MoD list for disposal in 2004...
. The ships are expected to enter service with the Lithuanian Navy by 2011 and will replace the M51 and M52 minesweepers. The three new Flyvenfisken-class multi-purpose patrol ships will replace the older Storm class patrol boats.
Lithuanian Air Force
The military command center is located in
ŠiauliaiŠiauliai , is the fifth largest city in Lithuania, with a population of 129,075. It is the capital of Šiauliai County. Unofficially, the city is the capital of Northern Lithuania...
(
Zokniai AirportŠiauliai International Airport is located 7 km southeast of Šiauliai city, in northern Lithuania. It covers the area of 471 hectares....
), and known as the Aviation base. Lithuanian Air Force has started a modernization program 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 2012 time frame the Baltic States will be able to provide their own air-cover with a fighter type yet to be selected and acquired.
Other bases used by the Lithuanian Air Force (LAF) are:
- Klaipėda (providing basing for sea search and rescue detachment);
- Kaunas (LTAF Headquarters and the Air Space Surveillance and Control Command);
- Karmėlava (Air Space Control Centre);
- Šiauliai (LATF Air Base and Air Force Armament and Equipment Repair Depot).
The initial formation of the LAF was the 2nd transport squadron with the transfer of 20 An-2 aircraft from civilian to military use, with initial basing at the Barushai air base on the 27 April 1992. These were joined by four L-39C Albatros aircraft purchased from
KazakhstanKazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a country situated in Eurasia that is ranked as the ninth largest country in the world. It is also the world's largest landlocked country. Its territory of 2,727,300 km² is greater than Western Europe...
as part of the intended 16 to be used by the 1st fighter (training) squadron.
The aircraft stationed at Zokniai belong to the 11th and 12th aviation squadrons, while that at the Payustis is known as the 22nd squadron.
New Lithuanian aircraft 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. Helicopters Mi-8's were modernised by LAF (extended fuel tanks and avionics).
Air space will be patrolled by jet fighters from other NATO members, which are based out of the
ŠiauliaiŠiauliai , is the fifth largest city in Lithuania, with a population of 129,075. It is the capital of Šiauliai County. Unofficially, the city is the capital of Northern Lithuania...
air base. In 2008 2 medium-range radars were acquired for the Air Forces Airspace Surveillance and Control Command.
A very interesting part of the Lithuanian Air Arms is the Aviation Unit of the Lithuanian
State Border Guard ServiceThe State Border Guard Service is the organisation charged with controlling and maintaining the Lithuanian Border. The State Border Guard Service falls under authority of the Ministry of the Interior, which supervises and controls the implementation of border guard policy.-1918-1940:Following the...
. It has received new helicopters to patrol the EU external border (with
KaliningradKaliningrad is a seaport and the administrative center of Kaliningrad Oblast, the Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea...
and
BelarusBelarus is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the north. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel , Mahilyow and Vitebsk...
).
National Defence Volunteer Forces
The
Lithuanian National Defence Volunteer ForcesThe National Defence Volunteer Forces or NDVF is an important part of Lithuanian Armed Forces. The Commander of the NDVF is appointed by the Minister of National Defence and is subordinate to the Commander of the Armed Forces. The NDVF is organised along administrative boundaries...
(NDVF) is an important part of Lithuanian Armed Forces. The Commander of the NDVF is appointed by the
Minister of National Defence*Minister of National Defence *Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China*Ministry of National Defense *Minister of National Defence *Minister of National Defence *Ministry of National Defence...
and is subordinate to the Commander of the Armed Forces. The NDVF is organised along administrative boundaries. It is composed of
companiesA company is a military unit, typically consisting of 75-200 soldiers. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
organised into
battalionA battalion is a military unit of around 1000-1500 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel...
s within territorial defence
brigadeA brigade is a military unit that is typically composed of two to five regiments or battalions, depending on the era and nationality of a given army. Usually, a brigade is a sub-component of a division, a larger unit consisting of two or more brigades; however, some brigades are classified as a...
s. Each NDVF unit down to battalion level contains
regular armyIn contemporary use, the term Regular Army refers to the full-time active component of the United States Army, as opposed to the Army Reserve or the Army National Guard. -Civil War:...
officersAn officer is a member of an armed force who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
and a skeletal
cadreCadre is the backbone of an organization, usually a political or military organization. The expression can be in the singular or the plural...
that directs training and administrative functions. The rest of the NDVF personnel are
volunteersA military volunteer is a person who enlists in military service by free will, and is not a mercenary or a foreign legionaire. Volunteers often enlist to fight in the armed forces of a foreign country. Military volunteers are essential for the operation of volunteer militaries.Many armies,...
who serve with no pay. The volunteers have already successfully participated in international operations in the
BalkansThe Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
,
AfghanistanThe Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East...
and
IraqIraq , officially the Republic of Iraq , also known as Mesopotamia, is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert.Iraq shares borders with Jordan to the west, Syria...
.
The NDVF consists of five territorial units, Lithuanian Grand Duke Butigeidis Dragoon Training Battalion and aviation unit. The NDVF Aviation Unit is operating from two main avia bases:
ŠilutėŠilutė is a city in the south of the Klaipėda County, Lithuania. The city was part of the Klaipėda Region and ethnographic Lithuania Minor...
in the southwest and Kyviškės in the eastern part of the country. NDVF use YAK-52's, AN-2's,
WilgaWilga can refer to:* Wilga , a river in Poland*Wilga, Masovian Voivodeship * PZL-104 Wilga, a Polish plane* wilga a domed shelter of twigs made by some Austalian Aboriginal peoples: an Australian tree...
's and other aircraft.
Special Operations Force
Lithuanian Special Operations ForceThe Lithuanian Special Operations Force is special operation unit of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, formed exclusively of carefully selected, motivated and specially trained professionals. The main tasks of the Special Operations Force are counter terrorism, special reconnaissance, and hostage rescue...
(SOF) of Lithuanian Armed Forces has been in operation de facto since 2002 and it was estbalished de jure in April 3 2008, when amendments of National Defence System organisation and military service law came into force . SOF is formed from the Special Operations Unit. Since Fall 2005, conscripts do not serve in the SOF. The force is formed exclusively of carefully selected, motivated and specially trained professionals.
The core of the SOF is based on the Special Purpose Service, Vytautas the Great Jaeger Battalion and Combat Divers Service (CDS).
Lithuanian Air ForceLithuanian Air Force or LAF is the military aviation branch of the Lithuanian armed forces. It is formed from professional military servicemen and non-military personnel. Units are located at Zokniai airport near the city Šiauliai.- History :...
Special Operations Element is subordinate to the Unit at the level of
operations managementOperations management is an area of business concerned with the production of goods and services, and involves the responsibility of ensuring that business operations are efficient in terms of using as little resource as needed, and effective in terms of meeting customer requirements...
. Structure of the SOF is flexible which makes it easy to form squadrons intended for concrete operations and missions from its elements. The SOF can be called upon inside the territory of
LithuaniaLithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the southernmost of the three Baltic states. Situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, it shares borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the southeast, Poland, and the Russian exclave of...
when law enforcement agencies lack or do not have necessary capabilities to react to terrorist attacks.
Equipment
In line with the set priorities, the Lithuanian Armed Forces are implementing modernisation plans. The Lithuanian Armed Forces, armed with
modern weaponsModern weapons is a subjective term used to describe the array of weapons available to a given society at any point in history that represents significant qualitative or increased sophistication improvements. Often weapons are referred to in terms of technology generations, and sometimes as being...
will be able to operate more efficiently together with allies inside and outside
LithuaniaLithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the southernmost of the three Baltic states. Situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, it shares borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the southeast, Poland, and the Russian exclave of...
. The Armed Forces will continue to be equipped with reliable and modern armament and military equipment corresponding to the
NATOThe North Atlantic Treaty Organization ); ), also called "the Atlantic Alliance", is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on April 4, 1949...
requirements, which will be procured in line with the set priorities with most attention focused on the projects related to implementation of the NATO Force goals. Efforts will be made to achieve that the funds allocated to procurement of new armaments and equipment and modernisation of the existing equipment make up one fourth of all the expenses of the National Defence System. The funds saved during the defence reform will be allocated to the needs of modernisation of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
Lithuania and NATO
LithuaniaLithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the southernmost of the three Baltic states. Situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, it shares borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the southeast, Poland, and the Russian exclave of...
and another six Middle and
Eastern EuropeEastern Europe is a region lying in the Eastern part of Europe. The term is highly context-dependent and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
countries were invited to join the Alliance in
NATO SummitA NATO summit is a summit meeting that is regarded as a periodic opportunity for Heads of State and Heads of Government of NATO member countries to evaluate and provide strategic direction for Alliance activities....
in
PraguePrague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Nicknames for Prague have included "the mother of cities" , "city of a hundred spires", or Stověžatá Praha in Czech and "the golden city" or Zlaté město in Czech.Situated on the River Vltava in central Bohemia, Prague has been the...
2002. Lithuania implemented its strategic goals and acquired the most reliable security assurance throughout the history of a millennium as it became a member of Euro-Atlantic society in March 2004.
Lithuania entered
NATOThe North Atlantic Treaty Organization ); ), also called "the Atlantic Alliance", is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on April 4, 1949...
on full-fledged rights immediately after the procedures of joining the
North Atlantic TreatyThe North Atlantic Treaty is the treaty that brought NATO into existence, signed in Washington, DC on April 4, 1949. The original twelve nations that signed it and thus became the founding members of NATO were:Later the following nations joined:...
were completed and Lithuania was able to participate in the political decision-making process of the Alliance. In comparison, integration into the military structures of NATO is a long-term task of Lithuanian Armed Forces.
Mechanised Infantry Brigade “Iron Wolf”The
'Iron Wolf' Mechanised Infantry Brigade is the core unit of the Lithuanian Army and forms the country's contribution to NATO collective defence...
was affiliated to the
Danish DivisionDanish Division , short DDIV, is the only remaining military land Division in Denmark. It is also the most potent single formation of the Danish armed forces.It was created January 1, 1997 as the successor of Jutland Division...
on the basis of agreements signed by
DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries; southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and it is bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea...
and Lithuania in August 2006. The mentioned long-term engagement is perhaps the central cooperation project of Lithuanian Armed Forces boosting ability of the Brigade to work hand-in-hand with forces of NATO.
NATO enlargement wiped out the lines dividing
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...
and provided equal security assurance for all the member states. Fighter jets of NATO members deployed in Zokniai airport as soon as Lithuania acquired membership in the Alliance provide safety for the Baltic airspace – and inseparable part of NATO airspace. NATO
fighter aircraftA fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets by dropping bombs. Fighters are small, fast, and maneuverable...
are involved in the patrolling and protection of Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian air space (
see Baltic Air PolicingThe Baltic air-policing mission is a NATO air defence Quick Reaction Alert in order to guard the airspace over the three Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania....
). 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 air base
ZokniaiŠiauliai International Airport is located 7 km southeast of Šiauliai city, in northern Lithuania. It covers the area of 471 hectares....
near the city
ŠiauliaiŠiauliai , is the fifth largest city in Lithuania, with a population of 129,075. It is the capital of Šiauliai County. Unofficially, the city is the capital of Northern Lithuania...
.
Foreign missions and operations
Lithuanian soldiers take part in international operations since 1994. Currently there are about 300 soldiers sent to international operations and missions in
AfghanistanThe Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East...
,
IraqIraq , officially the Republic of Iraq , also known as Mesopotamia, is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert.Iraq shares borders with Jordan to the west, Syria...
,
KosovoKosovo is a disputed territory in the Balkans. Its majority is governed by the partially-recognised Republic of Kosovo , a self-declared independent state which has de facto control over the territory; the exceptions are some Serb enclaves...
,
Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( or (Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Latin: Bosna i Hercegovina; Serbian Cyrillic: Босна и Херцеговина) is a country in Southeast Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula...
and
GeorgiaGeorgia Georgia Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Situated at the juncture of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the east by Azerbaijan...
. Lithuanian officers work in
NATOThe North Atlantic Treaty Organization ); ), also called "the Atlantic Alliance", is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on April 4, 1949...
and the EU staffs.
Since the summer of 2005
LithuaniaLithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the southernmost of the three Baltic states. Situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, it shares borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the southeast, Poland, and the Russian exclave of...
has been part of the
International Security Assistance ForceInternational Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security and development mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement.- Overview :...
in
AfghanistanThe Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East...
(ISAF), leading a
Provincial Reconstruction TeamA Provincial Reconstruction Team is a unit introduced by the United States government, consisting of military officers, diplomats, and reconstruction subject matter experts, working to support reconstruction efforts in unstable states. PRTs were first established in Afghanistan in late 2001 or...
(PRT) in the town of
ChaghcharanChaghcharān is a town and district in central Afghanistan, as well as the capital of Ghor Province. It was formerly known as Ahangaran. The main inhabitants of Chaghcharan are Tajiks. It is located on the southern side of the Hari River, at an altitude of 2,280 meters above sea level....
in the province of Ghor. The PRT includes personnel from
DenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe and the senior member of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries; southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and it is bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark borders both the Baltic and the North Sea...
,
IcelandThe Republic of Iceland is a European island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean. It has a population of about 320,000 and a total area of 103,000 km². Its capital and largest city is Reykjavík, whose surrounding area is home to approximately two thirds of the national population...
and USA. There are also
special operation forcesThe Lithuanian Special Operations Force is special operation unit of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, formed exclusively of carefully selected, motivated and specially trained professionals. The main tasks of the Special Operations Force are counter terrorism, special reconnaissance, and hostage rescue...
units in Afghanistan. They are placed in
KandaharKandahār, also spelled Qandahār, Pashtoکندهار or قندهار is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of 324,800 . It is the capital of Kandahar province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
province.
Since joining international operations in 1994 Lithuania has lost two soldiers. 1st Lt. Normundas Valteris fell in Bosnia, Sgt. Arūnas Jarmalavičius made the supreme sacrifice while on international mission in
AfghanistanThe Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East...
.
Baltic military cooperation
History has shown that the Baltic States cannot view their security in isolation from each other. Having learned this lesson
LithuaniaLithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the southernmost of the three Baltic states. Situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, it shares borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the southeast, Poland, and the Russian exclave of...
,
LatviaLatvia , officially the Republic of Latvia is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , and to the southeast by Belarus . Across the Baltic Sea to the west lies Sweden...
and
EstoniaEstonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by the Russian Federation...
along with building up their national armed forces, have extended and deepened their cooperation in defence matters.
The main projects are:
- BALTNET
BaltNet is a radar network operated by the militaries of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia -External links:**...
(Baltic Air Surveillance Network);
- BALTRON
In 1998 the Baltic Naval Squadron 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...
(Baltic Naval Squadron);
- BALTDEFCOL (Baltic Defence College);
- BALTBAT (Baltic Battalion).
Officer Ranks of the Lithuanian Land Forces
>
External links and Further Reading
Media
Literature
- Stefan Marx, 'Lithuania's Defence Structure,' Jane's Intelligence Review, September 1993, p.407-409