Lithuanian Armed Forces

Lithuanian Armed Forces
Lietuvos ginkluotosios pajėgos
Insignia of the Lithuanian Armed Forces
Flag of the Lithuanian Armed Forces
Founded23 November 1918
(first armed formations c. 12th century)
Current form25 April 1990
Service branches Land Force
Air Force
Naval Force
Special Operations Force
War time only:
Riflemen's Union
Public Security Service
State Border Guard Service
HeadquartersVilnius
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata
Leadership
Commander-in-Chief President Gitanas Nausėda
Minister of National Defence Laurynas Kasčiūnas
Chief of Defence General Raimundas Vaikšnoras
Personnel
Military age18–55
Conscription9 months
Available for
military service
890,074 males, age 16–49 (2016 est.),
875,780 females, age 16–49 (2016 est.)
Fit for
military service
669,111 males, age 16–49 (2016 est.),
724,803 females, age 16–49 (2016 est.)
Reaching military
age annually
20,425 males (2016 est.),
19,527 females (2016 est.)
Active personnel23,000 (2021)[1][a]
14,150 paramilitary (2021)[2][b]
Reserve personnelActive reserve 28,000, total reserve 104,000 (2021)[1]
Expenditure
Budget€2.43 billion
(2024)[3]
Percent of GDP3.2% (2024)[3]
Industry
Foreign suppliers Denmark
 Finland
 France
 Germany
 Israel
 Norway
 Poland
 Spain
 Sweden
 United Kingdom
 United States
Related articles
History1918–20 Lithuanian Wars of Independence
1944–53 Lithuanian partisans
1994 Bosnian War
2001–2021 War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
2003–2008 Invasion of Iraq
2004–Present Kosovo Force
2013–Present EUTM Mali
2013–Present Operation Atalanta
2014 Operation Sangaris
2015–present EU Navfor Med
2017–2023 MINUSMA
RanksLithuanian military ranks

The Lithuanian Armed Forces (Lithuanian: Lietuvos ginkluotosios pajėgos) are the military of Lithuania. The Lithuanian Armed Forces consist of the Lithuanian Land Forces, the Lithuanian Naval Force, the Lithuanian Air Force and the Lithuanian Special Operations Force. In wartime, the Lithuanian State Border Guard Service (which is under the supervision of the Ministry of the Interior in peacetime) becomes part of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.

The purpose of the Lithuanian Armed Forces are to be the principal deterrent against any security threat to the nation. Lithuania's defence system is based on the concept of "total and unconditional defence" mandated by Lithuania's National Security Strategy. The goal of Lithuania's defence policy is to prepare their society for general defence and to integrate Lithuania into Western security and defence structures. The Ministry of National Defence is responsible for combat forces, search and rescue, and intelligence operations.[4]

Male conscription is in place since 2015, when it was reinstated after being ended in 2008, due to concerns about the geopolitical environment in light of the Russo-Ukrainian War.[5]

In early 2022, Lithuania's defence budget for 2022 was approximately 1.05 billion,[1][c] but it was increased to €1.5 billion on 17 March 2022.[6] In 2024, the budget was raised to €2.3 billion and is projected to reach 3.03% of GDP.[3]

  1. ^ a b c Hackett 2022, p. 124.
  2. ^ Hackett 2022, p. 125.
  3. ^ a b c "Budget Statement". Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Lithuania. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  4. ^ "Lietuvos Respublikos krašto apsaugos ministerija :: Titulinis" (PDF). Retrieved 24 December 2014.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ Čepinskytė 2016.
  6. ^ LRT.lt, BNS (17 March 2022). "Lithuania raises defence spending to 2.52 percent of GDP". LRT. Archived from the original on 29 March 2022. Retrieved 29 March 2022.