Lithuanian army makes largest acquisition in history

Lithuania on Monday signed a contract to purchase 88 infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), called the Boxer, for 385.6 million euros (436.4 million US dollars) from the German-Dutch manufacturer Artec.



The acquisition is the largest in the history of the country's armed forces. The Boxers, made according to Lithuanian army's requirements, will be equipped with Israeli-made turrets and armed with 30 mm cannons, announced the Lithuanian defense ministry.



According to the agreement, Lithuania's purchased Boxers will be renamed to Vilkas, or the Wolf in English. The first IFVs will be delivered to Lithuanian armed forces next year with the rest to arrive by 2021.



Lithuanian Defense Minister Juozas Olekas, who signed the agreement with representatives of Artec and OCCAR, an international organization for defense equipment programs, told local media the acquired IFVs is to be operated for at least 30 years.



"It will be a long-term investment into ensuring Lithuania's security," Olekas told a press conference after signing the agreement.



The new IFVs will be delivered to two battalions of the country's mechanized infantry brigade Iron wolf. Chief of Defense Lieutenant General Jonas Vytautas Zukas underlined that Lithuanian armed forces being equipped with the newly-acquired vehicles will meet NATO's standards.



"We will have two battalions equipped with the Boxer IFV's and two battalions armed with M113 armored personnel carriers, plus artillery battalion with howitzers PzH 2000," Zukas told journalists.



"So, our brigade Iron wolf will fully meet all operational NATO requirements," said the chief of defense.



The decision to acquire the Boxers was made at the end of 2015 after evaluating 10 offers from IFVs producers and two offers to provide turrets. According to defense officials, the most serious competition for the Boxers was Swiss-made Piranha V and the US-produced Stryker.



Lithuania's largest military acquisition reflects the Baltic state's efforts to step up its defense capabilities.



Lithuania has ramped up its defense spending, strengthened military training and asked for an increased military presence from the allies since tensions in Eastern Europe erupted with conflicts in Eastern Ukraine in 2014.

