The Ministry of Defense of Lithuania announced on Thursday, November 21, the signing of an agreement to acquire 200 Oshkosh JLTV (Joint Light Tactical Vehicle) American off-road passenger vehicles. It is reported by UNN with reference to DW.
According to the press service of the Lithuanian defense department, the transaction amount is 145 million euros. The contract also contains a clause on the possibility of expanding the supply of another 300 vehicles.
After signing the agreement, Lithuanian Defense Minister Raimundas Karoblis told reporters that this military equipment could “strengthen support for the ground forces and special forces and strengthen specific capabilities in the field of reconnaissance, artillery and logistics”.
The ordered military equipment should be delivered before 2024 and adapted to the needs of the Lithuanian army. It is assumed that these armored vehicles serve both defensive purposes and are intended for international operations. The possibility of expanding the agreement by another 300 units is to be decided closer to the completion of deliveries of the ordered batch of 200 pieces, the Ministry of Defense of Lithuania says.
Recently, Lithuania, which borders the Russian enclave, the Kaliningrad region, has been conducting a large-scale campaign to rearm its army.