A KNDS Leopard 2A8 on display at the Eurosatory defence exhibition in Paris in June 2024. (Janes/Sonny Butterworth)
Germany's Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw), on behalf of the Lithuanian Defence Materiel Agency (DMA) under its Ministry of National Defence (MND), signed a contract with KNDS Deutschland for the delivery of 44 Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks (MBTs) to the Lithuanian Army, KNDS announced on 19 December.
On 22 October Lithuania's State Defence Council (VGT) decided to procure Leopard 2 MBTs along with infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), with Lithuanian Armed Forces General Raimundas Vaikšnors presenting a report at the time on the development of the Lithuanian division and proposals for the formation's heavy equipment. Then Minister of National Defence Laurynas Kasčiūnas said Lithuania had agreed to form a tank battalion.
The EUR950 million (USD990 million) contract includes a spare parts and logistics package. The BAAINBw procurement was preceded on 16 October by the signing of the purchase confirmation by Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė in the presence of Germany's Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius.
“The agreement on Leopard acquisition is the largest contract Lithuania has ever signed. The new tanks will facilitate integration and interoperability of Lithuanian and German militaries,” Šakalienė said.
Lithuania was the first country to implement a plan to procure Leopard 2A8s, together with Germany as part of the European Union's (EU's) so-called ‘Common Procurement Agreement'. An increased defence budget has also enabled negotiations on an earlier delivery date, said Lithuania's MND. This is the first time in its history that Lithuania has set up an armoured unit, becoming the 23rd Leopard 2 user nation in doing so.
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