On June 8 Chief of Defence met with U.S. Chief of Staff of the Army General Randy A. George in Vilnius for a discussion on the creation and further development of the Lithuanian Division. The U.S. expertise is critical in the creation, especially for maneuver, combat support and supply, and force protection unit development. Additionally, General discussed critical aspects in the creation of the Division: establishment of a C2 element, training of instructors and specialist personnel for the HIMARS High Mobility Artillery Rocket System and other armaments, development of weaponry systems and human resource.
“General Randy A. George is visiting Lithuania as the Chief of Staff of the Army for the first time. However, we have been friends for over a decade, our contacts have been particularly intense since the annexation of Crimea when we had particularly frequent meetings. U.S. force presence in Lithuania, the region and Europe is one of the chief cornerstone pillars. The troops deployed in Lithuania and Europe at the moment happen to be precisely in General’s responsibility,” said Chief of Defence of Lithuania V. Rupšys.
Another topic generals addressed was execution of the regional defence plans at the joint Lithuanian-U.S. exercises Saber Strike and Immediate Response and at NATO’s Steadfast Defender 24 which was conducted with the training audience of over 90 thousand deployed by the 32 NATO Allies. U.S. Army forces trained moving land force elements between regions to strengthen the present units and achieve deterrence at Exercise Saber Strike, while the HIMARS High Mobility Artillery Rocket System was brought to Lithuania for Immediate Response to train live fire delivered in the Baltic Sea. Lithuania purchases military equipment from the United States for a range of battlefield roles: HIMARS High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, Joint Light Tactical Vehicles JLTV, Black Hawk helicopters, JAVELIN missiles and launchers, AMRAAM missiles, drones, radars, radio stations.
“I thank my friend General Rupšys for all his achievement in the past five years and for his personal friendship. We have just had a fruitful discussion about out further partnership in order to be ready and deter any aggression. Nothing matters more than Allies, and Lithuania is a reliable Ally and friend,” said U.S. Chief of Staff of the Army General R. A. George.
Later Chief of Defence and U.S. Chief of Staff of the Army continued to visit the U.S. cavalry and artillery battalions deployed at the General Silvestas Žukauskas Training Area.