Lithuania will create two battalions of tracked infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), Defence Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas said on Tuesday.
“Alongside the two Vilkas battalions, two additional IFV battalions have emerged in the plans,” he told reporters. “The specific platform will be clarified soon, within the next two to three weeks.”
The minister said the battalions would interact with the tank battalion currently under formation in Lithuania.
“Two battalions, that’s about 100 vehicles,” he said.
Kasčiūnas expects the issue to be discussed by the president-chaired State Defence Council.
“We’ll come up with a proposal,” he said.
On Tuesday, the Defence Ministry announced that last week the Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) signed, on behalf of Lithuania, a contract with the German consortium ARTEC for the purchase of an additional 27 Vilkas IFVs for the Lithuanian military.
The Boxer-platform vehicles are important for completing the first phase of the IFV procurement process, according to the ministry.
“We’re making one purchase that wraps up this phase, [...] and then we’ll move on to the second phase, where we’ll create two tracked IFV battalions,” Kasčiūnas told reporters.
Up to 370 million euros are planned to be allocated for the additional Vilkas purchases.
This amount will cover not only the IFVs but also spare parts, repair and maintenance equipment, training courses, and more.
The delivery of these IFVs is planned for 2027–2029.
The Lithuanian Armed Forces have already taken delivery of 89 previously acquired IFVs and have fully equipped the Grand Duke Algirdas Mechanised Infantry Battalion and the Grand Duchess Birutė Uhlan Battalion with the vehicles, which are being actively used during exercises.
Built according to the Lithuanian Armed Forces’ requirements, the vehicles have Israeli-made remote weapon station turrets, US-made 30 mm MK-44S cannons and Israeli-produced Spike LR anti-tank missiles.
In April, Kasčiūnas suggested reconsidering the second phase of the Boxer IFV procurement and considering purchasing tracked IFVs. He requested military advice on this acquisition.
Lithuania signed the Boxer acquisition contract in 2016. The modified combat vehicles, built to meet the Lithuanian army’s specifications, were renamed Vilkas (Wolf).
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