Lithuania turns to Saab and Kongsberg to improve air defences
Lithuania will operate MSHORAD from Oshkosh JLTV. (Photo: Kongsberg)
Lithuania has placed a second order for Mobile Short-Range Air Defence (MSHORAD) systems and expects to begin receiving systems from its first order next year.
Lithuania has signed two contracts to boost its air defence capability, turning to Saab for more MSHORAD systems and to Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace for more National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS).
The country placed an order with Saab in July for MSHORAD systems and has now placed a second order with Saab to the value of SEK1.2 billion (US$120 million). Deliveries will be expected to occur in 2026–29.
The July order was worth approximately SEK1.3 billion with deliveries to begin next year and last for about two years.
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Under the new contract Saab will integrate MSHORAD onto Oshkosh Defence Joint Light Tactical Vehicles. The system consists of a radar based on the Giraffe 1X and a firing unit based on the RBS 70 NG which is connected with Saab’s Ground-Based Air Defence C2.
Under the second contract valued at €193 million (US$212 million) Kongsberg will upgrade Lithuanian NASAMS ordered in 2017 and provide additional systems to add to other NASAMS ordered in December 2023.
Lithuania’s Ministry of Defence has previously purchased NASAMS missile launchers for donation to Ukraine and NASAMS have been high on the shopping list for many countries since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
In January this year, Norway placed a NOK1.4 billion (US$130 million) order for more NASAMS with deliveries expected in 2026–27 as part of an effort to replace systems donated to Ukraine. In April, Spain filed a notification of award for its NASAMS modernisation programme.
Australia and Poland are also on a list of countries that have ordered NASAMS or associated systems and missiles in the past two years.
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