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Chief of Defence left on a formal visit for Germany

Chief of Defence left on a formal visit for Germany

On June 11-12 Chief of Defence of Lithuania Gen Valdemaras Rupšys is conducting a formal visit to Germany to meet with Inspector General of the Bundesweh General Carsten Breuer and representatives of the Federal Ministry of Defence.  

Lithuania and Germany enjoy a close cooperation in every area concerning defence. Since 1994, over 400 Lithuanian military personnel graduated from different Bundeswehr training institutions. The courses provided in Germany train PzH2000 drivers, maintenance personnel, gun operators, chassis mechanics, according to a contract with the Federal Ministry of Defence. Lithuanian officers study at the Bundeswehr Command and Staff College on a regular basis.

The United States and Germany are Lithuania’s principal partners in weaponry acquisition, while Russia is deterred and regional security is ensured by the rotational forces deployed in Lithuania on the basis of the Assurance Measures of the NATO Readiness Action Plan. Germany has actively joined in in international military training in Lithuania since 2011, in 2017 the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group was deployed, it is formed by NATO military personnel and equipment and features Germany as the framework nation.

Lithuanian military personnel is frequently serving in composition of the German contingent while on international deployments. Lithuanians were serving in the UN Operation MINUSMA in Mali from 2017 till Germany’s withdrawal from the operation last year. The 13th Force Protection Unit formed by the National Defence Volunteer Force was the last Lithuanian unit deployed to MINUSMA.  Also, Lithuania joined efforts in the Mediterranean, specifically, EUNAVFOR MED Operation Sophia in 2015 which later transferred as Operation EUNAVFOR MED IRINI, aboard a German warship.

There is ongoing cooperation since 2013 in the German-proposed NATO Framework Nations Concept (FNC) initiative which aims to assemble a group of NATO member states which would facilitate the FNC to generate and develop large-scale international land force units, the Multinational Air Group, international maritime force and enablers. Lithuania currently is engaged in the multinational large land force unit development with the Artillery Battalion/Battery and is an observer in 9 FNC capability subgroups (joint fire support, mission telecommunications network, reconnaissance, CBRN protection, war engineer, host nation support, naval mining, military police). The EU started a similar project in 2017, Lithuania takes part in 6 projects of the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), Germany leads two of them.

Germany is also an active contributor to the Baltic Air Policing Mission. Since 2012, the country has deployed five rotation flying from Zokniai Airbase and 6 from Amari (Estonia) enhancing the mission.  

Lithuania is also a part of the German-led European Sky Shield Initiative which aims to integrate all the EU member states into a common air defence system in support on NATO aims and objectives. Germany led the NATO Response Force (NRF) which included a mechanized infantry company with combat and provision support in 2023.

On 8 March 2022 the Forward Command Element of the German brigade assigned to Lithuania was deployed in on the ground as the decisions to increase the Forward Defence to a brigade taken at the NATO Summit in Madrid are implemented Madrid. Also, a decision was taken to station a German brigade in Lithuania as soon as necessary infrastructure is in place. On 8 April 2024 the initial element of the 45th German Brigade arrived via the Vilnius International Airport to conduct the planning for the Brigade stationing and coordination of requirements for the developed military infrastructure.