The Lithuanian army plans to upgrade its fleet with military vehicles from Germany to strengthen its defence capabilities by procuring special trucks and off-road vehicles from Mercedes-Benz, the defence ministry in Vilnius said on Wednesday.
It stated that the order value was around €1 billion ($1.2 billion), and that an agreement had been signed with the local representative of the German carmaker.
The delivery of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class vehicles as well as the Zetros, Arocs and Unimog military truck models from Daimler Truck is to take place between 2026 and 2032. The procurement is to be financed in part with the help of an arms loan from the EU's so-called Safe programme, the statement said.
According to the ministry, the purchase is "one of the biggest investments in the logistics of the Lithuanian armed forces." The vehicles are intended to ensure the efficient transport of troops, weapons and supplies and strengthen the army's operational readiness, it said.
Lithuania, a NATO and EU member, borders the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and Russia's ally Belarus. Vilnius sees the war in Ukraine as a direct threat to its national security. The Lithuanian government has therefore increased military spending and is massively upgrading the army.
