Lithuania requests more Javelin anti-tank missiles | World Defense

Lithuania requests more Javelin anti-tank missiles

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Lithuania requests more Javelin anti-tank missiles
Nicholas de Larrinaga, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
21 December 2015
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Lithuania is looking to buy more Javelin ATGMs from the United States. Source: Raytheon Missile Systems

Lithuania has requested to buy more Raytheon/Lockheed Martin Javelin anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) from the United States, it was revealed on 18 December.

The Lithuanian Armed Forces were the first export customer for the Javelin, having signed agreements for the missile as far back as December 2001. The latest order is valued at USD55 million, according to the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA).

In total the country has requested to purchase 220 Javelin ATGMs and 74 Javelin Command Launch Units (CLUs), plus technical assistance, programme support, logistics, and 10 extra missiles for 'fly-to-buy' purposes (i.e. lot quality assurance).

Lithuania has been planning to increase the scope of its anti-tank capabilities since 2014. An amendment to the country's budget in July 2014 approved an increase in spending for new guided missiles (both air defence and anti-tank) in direct response to the Ukraine crisis.

The Lithuanian Land Force is thought to have received 74 Javelin missiles and 18 CLUs over the years, so this latest order looks set to triple the amount of Javelin ATGMs that Lithuania has in service. These will be operated by a significantly expanded Lithuanian Armed Forces - which through the 2015 reintroduction of conscription is set to expand by as much as 45% in the coming years. Besides purchasing the Javelin ATGMs, Lithuania is also expected to buy the Rafael Spike ATGM for use from the country's incoming 88 Boxer 8x8 armoured fighting vehicles.

ATGMs have become a priority for many nations worried about Russia, with Estonia also planning to purchase the Javelin. In October 2014 the DSCA announced that Tallinn has requested to purchase 350 Javelins, 120 CLUs, and 102 training rounds in a total package valued at USD55 million. Given that the Estonian request was significantly larger than the Lithuanian one, the fact that they are valued at the same amount is something of a mystery.
Lithuania requests more Javelin anti-tank missiles | IHS Jane's 360
 
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