Lithuania Purchases an Unknown Number of Switchblade 600 Drones From the US
The Lithuanian Ministry of Defense has signed a contract with the US government to purchase Switchblade 600 kamikaze drones. As a result, Lithuania became the second country after the United States to purchase such loitering munitions. According to the ministry, the 45 million Euro ($48 million) contract includes combat drones, drone launch and control equipment, a personnel training simulator, and a maintenance package. The number of Switchblade 600s Lithuania will purchase under the contract and the delivery date of the drones were not disclosed, however.
Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anušauskas commented on the purchase, saying, “We are the first country in the world after the United States to purchase the Switchblade 600. These combat drones are a new redeployable capability that will give the Lithuanian army the ability to destroy enemy tanks and other armored vehicles at a distance of up to 40 kilometers. Our army has not had such a capacity until now.”
The contract, according to the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense, supports the United States’ efforts to ensure regional security and stability in the Baltic States. In this context, the Lithuanian army intends to purchase Switchblade 300 drones from the United States in the “near future,” which are smaller and lighter than the Switchblade 600. The US military aid fund is expected to fund this capability for the Lithuanian military. Lithuania also recently signed a $495 million agreement to purchase eight High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) from the United States in the face of continued Russian aggression against Ukraine. Additionally, Lithuania has signed other contracts for the purchase of 300 more Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV) and Black Hawk helicopters, in addition to the 200 American JLTVs it purchased in 2019.
In addition to the Switchblade 300 and 600 loafer munitions, Lithuania announced in September that it is in the process of procuring 35 drones, including 26 “mini” and 9 “small” systems for reconnaissance and intelligence operations. According to market analysis, the unmanned systems to be supplied under the order, which will cost 36 million euros, will meet the Class 1 capability requirement (weighing less than 150 kilograms / 331 pounds). In addition to these, it is known that Lithuania is interested in Bayraktar TB2s, a product of Baykar, whose popularity has grown even more with the Ukraine-Russian war. In recent months, Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anušauskas stated, “It is among our plans to purchase armed UAVs, including Bayraktar. I do not want to elaborate on these plans for the time being.” Lithuania’s Deputy Minister of Defense, Vilius Semaska, also stated during their visit to Turkey that they planned to purchase drones from Turkey.