Lithuania - Land Forces

The Lithuanian Armed Forces, which were initially intended as the sole defender of Lithuanian territory, have now been developed into a force capable of acting as an integral part of NATO forces. The Land Forces form the backbone of the country's defence force. In bringing them up to NATO standards, current efforts focus on upgrading equipment and armaments, enhancing their operational effectiveness, and combat training. The combat training of the Land Forces units will be focused on defense operations, operations in urban and captured terrain this year. The attention to the preparation for NATO-led International Security Assistence Forces (ISAF) operation in Afghanistan and for domestic support tasks in Lithuania will not be reduced as well.

Land Forces make up the core of Lithuania’s defense force, therefore, in reforming LAF, most of the attention and financial resources are directed to the development of the Land Forces.

Total armed forces in 1994 numbered about 8,900, including a 4,300-member army. 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 Alliance and Lithuania. According to this principle, Lithuania has abandoned plans for building up Land Forces consisting of three infantry brigades prepared for territorial defence.

In 2002 Lithuania'?s active army had 9,340 soldiers, including 3,720 conscripts (12-month service obligation). The active force structure comprised two motorized rifle brigades, one light infantry battalion, one engineer battalion, and one peacekeeping company. The navy had 560 sailors (280 conscripts) manning several coast guard vessels. The air force had 800 airmen operating 27 aircraft and 12 helicopters. Equipment is of Soviet origin and old. Interoperability with NATO would be poor.

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 Kæstutis Motorised Infantry Battalion was moved to the MIB “Iron Wolf.”

As of 2005 Lithuania was 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. This meant that upon the completion of the defence reform by 2014 the LAF must be able to sustain a battalion task group with all combat support and combat service support elements (around 950 soldiers) and a Squadron of Special Operations Forces (up to 50 soldiers) in one operation, or company size specialised combat units in three operations.

By 2012 the Land Forces consisted of the Iron Wolf Motorised Infantry Brigade, the Engineer Battalion and the National Defence Volunteers, numbering 4,000 regulars and 4,500 volunteers. By 2012 the Iron Wolf Motorised Infantry Brigade was equipped with M113 armoured personnel carriers and high-mobility HMMWVs. Another project which was under way covers the procurement of wheeled personnel carriers, which will replace tracked vehicles. In 2006, custom-made highmobility Land Rover Defenders, adapted for special operations, reached the Special Operations Forces. In 2007, the Lithuanian Armed Forces acquired 50 Finnish-made high-mobility 8x8 multifunctional SISU E11T combat support armoured trucks.

The Motorised Infantry Brigade (MIB) made up the core of the Land Forces, and included two mechanised, two motorised battalions and an artillery battalion. The Engineers are responsible for mine clearance, the construction of pontoon bridges, unexploded ordnance detonation tasks, underwater engineering and participation in search and rescue operations. The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Platoon is ready to participate in international operations.

The Juozas Vitkus Engineer Battalion will contribute to Lithuania’s international commitments by assigning one engineer platoon to each deployable battalion-size task group. The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Platoon will be ready to participate in international operations autonomously. In the future, there will a nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) protection unit in the structure of the Engineer Battalion. Starting in 2008, the Lithuanian Armed Forces launched a 10-year-long project continuing mine cleaning on Lithuanian territory of explosives left after the First and Second World War, and in former Soviet military bases. As an integral part of the Land Forces, the National Defence Volunteers have been developing since the beginning of the national movement for independence. The volunteers act smoothly together with the Allies during military operations and have been assigned new missions: to augment the regular forces, to deploy individual units and specific capabilities for international operations, to assist host nation support and to support the civilian authorities.

The Lithuanian Armed Forces, which were initially intended as the sole defender of Lithuanian territory, have developed into a force capable of acting as an integral part of NATO forces. The Land Forces form the backbone of the country’s defence force; therefore, in reforming the Armed Forces, most attention and financial resources have been directed to the development of the Land Forces. In bringing them up to NATO standards, current efforts focus on upgrading equipment and armaments, enhancing their operational effectiveness, and combat training.